Vengeance of Justice
by williewildcat
Summary: At one time she was a weapon of the Church only to fall prey to those she had fought for after the war ended. Until one night when the man with the golden amber eyes offered her vengeance on those who inflicted her pain but what is the cost? BH/OC
1. Calm

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's…though I wished I owned the rest…*sighs*

The muse made me write it :p

Alessa is a new OC that is only for PriestVerse...Her story will unfold in flashbacks and how she is connected to Orleas and Chamberlain along with a few other notables ;) And yes this will be Black Hat/OC pairing with past Hicks/OC

Note: Flashbacks will include abuse, rape, bondage and angst...

* * *

"I wish it didn't come down to this."

Hicks narrowed his eyes at the woman standing several feet in front of him. Standing beside her was a man dressed in dark pants, boots, shirt and long coat caked with dust. His eyes were masked by the hat which rested perfectly a top his head. He knew who the silent figure was.

Hicks felt heartsick as he stood face to face with her. Why did she do this? Why was she choosing him?

"I gave you a choice, Hicks, and yet weren't smart enough to run. I really don't want to do this."

"He made his choice." The taller one growled in unmasked hatred. His words were more of a command than an observation. Her head and shoulders dropped and eyes closed as though she was about to say a prayer. But it wasn't guidance that she sought.

"I understand," she whispered sadly and felt the warmth of the single tear racing down her cheek. A part of her screamed not to kill the Sheriff; he was the remaining grain of her humanity; the shard of light that illuminated the last sliver of her soul.

Hope….

Love….

_I know this is difficult for you…._

She simply nodded in response to his silent words. What ripped shreds of her heart remained were silenced by the painful truth. He would hunt them down if he was allowed to live and that was something she couldn't allow to happen.

_I can't let him hurt you….._

"I'm sorry…" she choked back a sob as she glanced down at the shifting sands. "But you leave me no other option."

Her head shot up revealing the feral yellowish hues with hunger ringing around the edges. Her lips parted back exposing the perfect daggers of pearl that hungered for blood. Already her amplified sense of smell was pulling the richness of his life force into her body, eliciting the promise of sweet rewards. Instinct swooped in taking control with such ferocity that she was rushing across the sands and hurling the weak pathetic human towards the ground.

"Goodbye Hicks…."

* * *

_5 years before…._

The Wastelands were perfect. Perfect for her kind. Out here she was liberated from the chains of hypocrisy of the Church and the hollow lies indoctrinated upon the masses. They were so willing to sacrifice personal freedoms for security from what lay beyond the walled cities. At least out here the sun was constant, providing life giving light and warmth for those willing to risk forging a life. Her body was able to breathe in the fresh air of the world around her unlike the cities where the smoke and pollution blanketed the masses in a cloud of degeneration and sickness. Sandstorms were common but survivable and she would easily brave the rages of Nature over the lies and the wolves dressed in robes residing behind their tall concrete walls and precious thrones that were built on pain and deceit.

She gritted her teeth and slammed her fists on the counter which was followed by the smashing of a glass against the opposite wall.

"Damn it," she sighed loudly. Her abilities had matured a little too well. That was one reason she was here. She didn't have any tattoos like the priests or priestesses which had been done purposely. The tell tale marking that crossed the forehead and bridge of the nose would've alerted the vampires to what she was.

She was special they told her before taking her away from her family. She was given the Gift by God to smite the soulless demons that roamed the lands.

That was before the wars had ended and she, like the Priests and Priestesses, were cast aside like trash; unwanted and ignored they were reviled and ignored by the city dwellers. They were now in the shadows, watching the world around them continue but leaving them behind. They were empty shells of their former selves, the highly respected and revered warriors. But the vampires were dead or safely locked away onto reservations where they couldn't harm anyone. The threat was gone or so the Church boasted with arrogance which was why the Priests and Priestesses were easily cast out as their services were no longer required.

That was total bullshit.

The vampires were still out there, in the deep corners of the Wastelands, stalking along the fringes of the outlying towns that were open and vulnerable. The visions would haunt her at night. Images of men women and children fleeing in vain from the faceless horrors that sought out the screaming humans, hungering for the sustaining nectar pulsing through their bodies. Blood would soak her vision as it was shed across the land. The pathetic screams and wailing of the dying still echoed in her ears on occasion but she had learned to cope with such. The last vision had been several months before and since then her mind had been free.

But now something else troubled her. The sensations were new to her for if it was a vampire threat she wouldn't be standing there in her kitchen gripping the edges of the counter so fiercely it caused her knuckles and fingertips to be void of blood.

"Hey," Hicks suddenly appeared in the doorway. She screamed and jumped up then landed hard with angered slivers in her eyes.

"Damn it don't do that," she smacked the Sheriff on the arm. "It can get you shot around here."

"I'll take my chances," he grinned. "Besides I haven't seen ya around the last few days and started to worry."

"I've been doing some things around here. I had to repair my roof and fix the loose boards from the last sandstorm we had. Besides don't you have a town to keep watch over?"

"Well technically you do reside within my jurisdiction so therefore…"

"I can handle myself thank you very much."

"Well aren't you just the independent one?" Hicks teased playfully.

"I'd rather live out here and face the sandstorms then live in those damned cities. At least out here I can say and do what I want without being stigmatized for it."

"True," Hicks shrugged.

"So really what brings you out here?"

"I got your supplies on my bike. I figured since they came in and I was heading out here I would just bring them for you."

"Well aren't you the gentleman?" She rolled her eyes at his gesture.

"Alessa look…." Hicks was serious all of a sudden. "About what happened…."

"Don't even start," Alessa shot her hand up silencing him. "It didn't work out between us okay? I understand that."

"But I didn't…."

"You can't help who you fall in love with I know. Why do you insist on ripping the wounds open again and again?"

"Because of what I did to you." Hicks could see he had struck a very raw open nerve with Alessa but despite her claims he could see she continued to hurt after she caught him and Lucy together in his home. The blade of betrayal had been dull and cruel to her that day as she had snapped then slipped into a deep depression for several months.

_I'm going to be alone until I die….Perhaps that's what my path is….One of pain and solitude….._

"Damn it Hicks!" Alessa slammed her hands on the counter. "Drop it okay? It is in the past where it is going to stay."

_Besides…..Who would want someone like me anyways?_

"Alright," Hicks surrendered reluctantly. "But can you at least let me bring in your supplies?"

"Yeah," Alessa sighed.

"I didn't mean to snap at you earlier but you need to leave that in the past. Period."

Her eyes glared towards Hicks, issuing him a final warning in the matter.

_Just move on…..Or I will kick your ass…._

"Alright, I'll drop it." Hicks flung his hands up in surrender. "But you're still my friend and I worry about you."

Alessa felt her hard stare soften slightly at his admission. "You're my friend too. I won't kick your ass….this time."

"I appreciate that," his face brightened back up.

"You should get going back home," Alessa hitched a thumb behind her gesturing towards the setting sun.

"I suppose so," he reached out wrapping her in his arms. "Be careful."

"Always..." She buried her face against his shoulder. His scent was painful for her to inhale as it stirred visions of what was and what will never be again.

"See ya soon okay?" Hicks started for the door but Alessa lunged and gripped his wrist. Her pupils had dilated until miniscule rings were all that remained of her charcoal orbs.

"Something bad is coming. I can feel it. You need to be home with Lucy."

Her voice was steady but held a troubled pitch that made Hicks unnerved.

"Go, now," she shoved him off and slammed the door then went and secured the other windows and doors. The roar of the bike drew her back to the window as the Sheriff raced off towards Augustine. The frigid shivers slid down her spine, fanning out like tendrils of ice. Whatever was out there was coming. And it was moving fast.

**TBC**


	2. Hatred

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's…though I wished I owned the rest…*sighs*

Blame the muse on this one :P He wanted it...

* * *

Alessa killed the lamp and crouched in the shadows with gun loaded and blades crossed against her back. The sensation that haunter her before had intensified nearly paralyzing every inch of her body. She couldn't hear anything but sensed something was out there.

_I know you're out there….._

Hairs stood on her neck and arms as her skin pebbled against the sudden chill in the air. It was here. The room was charged with a thick uneasiness that made Alessa slowly retreat towards the safe room she had installed. As she backed from the chair and started to step back, the first footfall made her freeze with a leg held up. The second step was equally heavy and strong as was the next and the one after that. They carried on along the porch before pausing at the front door. Her heart was hammering in her throat as she stood motionless by the table. Seconds passed like hours to Alessa while anticipating the intruder's next move. The boards outside groaned under the weight of her unwanted visitor. Her gun was trained at the door and slowly she cocked the firearm hearing the distinct click once it was fully armed. She cursed the weapon for being such an indication to her presence but the person on the other side was about to have a very bad night.

Her knees ached and thighs screamed from the unnatural position and weight bearing down on each. Her calves began to quiver followed by her ankles and feet. She had to move but her limbs refused to obey her silent command.

Without warning the door exploded into a shower of splinters and shards. Alessa felt her feet awaken and carry her towards the safe room. She didn't look back to see who was standing there as no human could do that! There was no smoke or fire which didn't mean it was any kind of device.

She slammed the door tight and locked it before barricading it with the heavy iron bar across the resilient frame. The room was engulfed in pure darkness preventing her from seeing anything around her. The familiar thud of the heavy steps drew closer to her hiding place. Alessa crouched down in the corner and slid down the wall until she felt her arms secure across her legs. The steps halted at the door.

Alessa felt wetness along her elbow and quickly realized it was blood. Her fingers dabbed the cut across her tricep as it continued to bleed. It didn't hurt as they pushed and traced around the open flesh. Her mind momentarily was transfixed on the scent of copper and sensation of wet sticky flesh.

A low dark laugh at the door snapped her out of her trance and instantly Alessa was armed.

"I know you're in there darling."

Her heart stopped.

"I can hear you….I can smell you…."

Her hands clenched tighter on the shotgun.

"So why not come out?"

Her body pushed back against the wall.

"If you don't then I'll just have to come in there and drag you out myself."

Her heart was thundering filling her ears with the loud roar of blood pumping furiously.

"I suppose you've made your choice then."

The gun was cocked.

The door was ripped away from the hinges and hurled across the room like twig. The figure entered the confined space hovering over Alessa. The bright sulfur tinged rings blazed through the dark and bore into her frightened slate rings.

"Now is that gun meant to hurt me?" The voice was deep and smooth but mocking her means of defense.

"Go to Hell," Alessa pulled the trigger but the bullet sailed far right of her target and crushed into the wall nearby.

"That was unnecessary." She felt a hard jerk forcing her hold on the gun to be relinquished.

"Now we will do things my way."

Alessa stood and sensed the cold presence directly in front of her. With one sharp spin, she jumped and struck the side of the stranger's face with her heel then let the sole of her boot scrap across the jaw and cheek. The crack of bone against her foot only elicited a grunt of discomfort for her efforts.

"Your tactics are impressive but useless against me. Your strength holds no effect on me."

He watched her face deepen with concentration as the wooden shards rushed for him from behind. Several stabbed him in the back of the legs as one embedded itself in his shoulder. He grunted in pain as he tore the splintered fragments from his body. Alessa slipped to the right hoping to break free but his arm shot out and hurled her back into the room.

"You have been keeping your abilities honed. Again I am impressed."

Alessa lunged with a strike to the solar plexus but the sharp smack followed by the crunching sensation forced her to her knees as his large hand bent her wrist back. She cried out sharply before dropping to her knees and struggling to liberate the confined limb. The tendons in her wrist strained against the unnatural manipulations and pressure threatening to sever apart if it didn't cease.

"Stop….please…."

"What a shame," he was now kneeling beside her. "Forced to fight for a lie then thrown to the jackals. No one to hear you scream or even offer the slightest bit of comfort. So alone…."

"You know nothing about me!" Alessa angrily replied.

"Oh but I do…" the man's voice was softer, sympathetic. His hand reached out through the dark and lightly caressed her face. Alessa felt herself leaning into the touch, allowing herself to linger against the cool but surprisingly gentle strokes.

"I know….I know how it feels to be tossed away after giving everything you had including your very life to those who never gave a damn about what happened to you! To be used for what you possessed because they were too cowardly to wage their own battles!"

Alessa felt her chest beginning to constrict as her throat closed in around itself. The bitter tears streamed across the hot landscape of her skin before hitting the knee of the stranger. His voice was dripping in rage as he spoke. It was almost as if he was speaking from some past encounter or experience...

"Even now the trauma remains…."

"Why are you doing this?" She heard her voice shaking as she fought to kill the sob in her throat.

"Because the idea of revenge is more alluring and exciting than the simple idea of shutting out the betrayal unfairly forced upon you."

"What if I don't want to?" Alessa had seen enough blood spilled by her hands over the years.

"But you do. I can sense it…." The hand continued its feathery traces of her face before running through her raven colored locks. "Don't lie to yourself Alessa…."

"How did you know my name?" The shock in her voice made him chuckle.

"I know so much about you….I know about what they did to you in the dark, away from the rest while the others turned a blind eye to your agony and suffering, claiming it was God's will or perhaps it was a punishment for blasphemy or other falsified charge."

"If you know so much then why didn't you stop them? Why was I allowed to be subjected to their twisted desires? Do you know what those bastards did to me?" Her voice strained as the dormant anger rushed towards the surface erupting like a violent volcano.

"So many questions," he sighed. "But I promise you can have what has been unjustly denied to you. Could you imagine their faces when they see you standing before them stronger and more powerful than any god they've ever known? And then they will know the true meaning of repentance."

"What do you mean?" Curiosity tapped her tone.

"Come with me and I will show you."

The hand withdrew allowing the air to chill the warmth that had been there seconds before. Alessa winced inwardly at the absence but remained silent. She rose to her feet and was greeted with his hands slipping around the sides of her face. Her eyes couldn't see the grin curling up on his lips or the perfect set of pearl daggers that could easily rip her throat apart. But the golden amber eyes continued to shine down upon her yet she didn't move or even scream. Despite the cold sweeping through her body, Alessa felt the hand slipping over hers and allowed herself to be led out into the starry night.

**TBC**


	3. Temptation

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's….though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

* * *

_"But I don't wanna go! I wanna stay here!"_

_ "Lessa you have no choice…." Her mother's voice cracked before breaking down. Her ice blue eyes were bleary and streaked with thin lines of red. She didn't want her daughter to be taken but when the Priests arrived she knew there was no way to avoid it. They had come for Alessa. _

_ "NO!" The 12 year old girl stomped her foot in anger. The Priests were standing in the doorway, patiently watching as her family issued their goodbyes to their daughter. _

_ "Alessa," the olive skinned man approached the agitated girl. His presence was calm but his voice commanded authority. "You are needed to help the Church. You have no say in this decision as it has already been made for you."_

_ "But that's not fair!"_

_ "God chose you child. You are special. He blessed you with an incredible gift."_

_ Her eyes narrowed on the figure as the lamp behind her began to rattle and dance towards the edge of the table. His companion observed the object continue teetering then tottering until it dropped and shattered against the cracked tile flooring. _

_ "No," Alessa shook her head. "I'm not going!"_

_ "Then she has left us with no other viable option," the other Priest stepped forward and with a shocking lunge grappled his arms around the girl's waist._

_ "Mother!" Alessa shot out her arms with hands flailing for her mother. She kicked and squirmed against her captor but the man's hold was surprisingly iron clad. The pained expression darkened into tears that streamed unrestrained down her cheeks. _

_ "Lessa!" She raced for her child but the other Priest effectively blocked her path. Her mother furiously attempted to sidestep him but the man continued to thwart her attempts. His face was stone and emotionless as the shrieks of Alessa tormented her hearing. _

_ "You have said your goodbyes," his words were cold and empty. "It is time to leave."_

_ "Lessa!" Her mother dropped to her knees and cried uncontrollably as her only daughter was ripped from her arms and vanished behind the closing door. _

Alessa jolted awake with a hard gasp. Beads of sweat had gathered on her forehead as she pushed through the haze and into consciousness. Her heart was racing as she slowly sat up and took in her surroundings. She wasn't at home. Home was no longer on the open spaces of the Wastelands.

She wiped her face and swung a pair of unstable legs over the edge of the bed and staggered for the bathroom. The sink supported her dead weight as she leaned hard against the counter while she splashed cold water over her face. Water was hitting the smooth but worn surface more than it was her skin.

"Damn it," she muttered and retrieved a towel to mop up the mess.

Alessa closed her eyes and took several slow deep breaths collecting herself before straightening up and returning to the room. The movement from the corner of her eyes made her freeze in the doorway as someone was seated comfortably in the chair.

"Good morning," Black Hat quietly greeted. He looked up with those same eyes from the night before. "You must be hungry."

"I-I don't know what I'm feeling," Alessa carded a hand through her hair. Hunger wasn't something she was experiencing at that particular moment.

"You were crying in your sleep."

"You were eavesdropping?" She glared in disgust.

"No," he smiled revealing his little secret. "I could hear you."

Alessa instinctively slid against the wall and into the bathroom with him standing and following her. The man had fangs!

"What the Hell are you? You have….fangs! You're a familiar aren't you?"

"No," he shook his head but the grin never faltered. "I'm different. I'm better than a familiar. I'm stronger and faster than any human alive."

"Then what the Hell are you?" She started back away from him and tripped against the edge of the porcelain tub. Alessa stumbled back but didn't crash as his grip prevented her from falling and drew forward until they were inches from one another's faces.

"I'm a hybrid," she felt his hand running down the side of her face then stopping as the familiar caress graced her skin once again.

"I'm a vampire-human hybrid. I can walk in daylight yet I feed on blood as a vampire would."

"But how? How is that possible?" Her fear ebbed and interest filled the gaps left behind. "Humans can't be turned into vampires."

"That's where you're wrong, my dear Alessa." His other hand reached out and cupped the other side. She didn't resist or pull away but didn't move closer either.

"Then enlighten me," she snorted.

"I was once like you. I was ripped from my home and forced into servitude for those who indoctrinated the lies and deceptions into us. We were told we were fighting God's war! We were smiting the Earth of soulless creatures that threatened to exterminate His children!"

"My god….You were a…..Priest?" Did he know more about her? He already knew of her connection to the Wars and the Church.

"You seem shocked."

"H-How…."

"Perhaps you should sit down." Alessa found the cushion of the seat colliding with her body. She watched him take the opposite seat and kick a leg up on the table.

"I was part of a group sent to the hive Sola Mira. Heard of it?"

She simply nodded as her tongue went heavy in her mouth.

"I told him I felt as if we were entered our grave but he didn't listen. Moments were to their advantage as they attacked us. There were six of us…..Only two got out."

"You didn't…." She leaned forward with her hands over her face. Her stomach knotted as her hatred for the Church received another kindling.

"I fell mere feet from the opening and safety but I fell. He had my hand but he let go! He left me to die down there!"

_Just like I was left alone to suffer in silence…._

"For days I was bled finally crossing the threshold between life and death. I prayed for the release of Death but instead an Angel of Mercy heard my prayers."

His eyes caught hers locking tight with the intense misty blue rings seeing straight into her very soul.

"They say the windows are the eyes to the soul and because vampires evolved without eyes they are soulless. But I have seen into a vampire's soul and it is by far more pure than any man's I ever come across."

Alessa could recall a few instances where she captured a glimpse into the vampire's psyche and saw no evil or malice as the Church had insisted was present. It was Nature, instinct that drove them not a sense of morality.

"Who was it? Who was the angel that pulled you back?"

"The very thing we were there to destroy: The Queen."

Her eyes shot open in shock. The Queen did this to him?

"Why? What was her reason?"

"She saw something that she couldn't resist. It was then I was reborn, free from the oppression of the Church and the suffering that weighed me down. It's so liberating."

Alessa sat up straighter but looked down at her hands.

"The same can be done for you…."

Her head shot back up as he looked back at her. His expression was stone sober and she didn't have to be told he was speaking the truth. That was part of her Gift. Even with vampire blood in his veins it didn't exclude him from her ability to reach inside.

"I-I don't know…."

"This is your chance Alessa. You want to strike them down don't you? To watch their faces as they realize their precious god won't or can't save them?"

"Y-Yes but…"

"I wouldn't leave you there…..alone. Not like I was left there with no comfort. She will see you are worthy."

Black Hat rose and knelt down beside her. Her pulse didn't jump from their proximity nor did she retract when the cool touch of his hand swept across her face.

"You can walk in daylight as you do now. Your abilities would be amplified. No Priest would stand in your way; our way."

The idea of striking out against the Church and their fucking missionaries in such a manner was such a great prize for her. It was too great to let slip through her fingers. She knew how to make it look like a murder or other means by the hand of man. The scavengers and bandits who fell to her blade and gun served well as practice.

Her head turned to his direction and with devious smile that grew in the corners of her lips she slowly nodded.

"I want them to pay; all of them." Her voice was cruel and cold like the emptiness which consumed her for so long.

"We leave tonight."

"How do you plan on getting there?"

"There will be a train waiting to depart before sunset. But don't worry as the familiars won't lay a finger on you."

"You forget who you are talking to," Alessa waved the blade in her hand.

"I didn't and won't," Black Hat grinned revealing his fangs. "Now you should clean up."

Alessa quickly forgot she was still in the same clothing from last night. It would be beyond words to experience an actual shower again. No more heating water and sitting in a steel basin with the same filth. She rose and went to investigate the bathroom finding everything she needed or wanted.

"I will leave you but will return before sunset."

The heavy boots strolled slowly towards the door before the sound of the door closing behind them announced she was alone once again. Alessa hurriedly stripped away the soiled shirt pants and clothing then tuned the hot water on full blast. Her body rejoiced in the soothing manipulations of the water as they assaulted her weary form. It made her think of the rains when they occasionally swept across the Wastelands quenching the parched lands with life giving drops.

Freedom…..

That was what she felt standing there beneath the simple stream. It was strange as she had been free from the repressiveness of the Church for several years now. But this was different. This was the start of her journey to closure, the final step in healing her wounds. To see those smug bastards groveling at her feet like scared children brought the wicked grin back to her lips.

Two hours later she was on the train. Black Hat watched as she stared out the window, watching the Wastelands speed by like a rocky dull blur. He couldn't but help to notice the dark pants, olive green shirt and belt fit like a second layer of skin. The bandana was fastened around her throat to block out the sands from any approaching storm. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail giving him a better glimpse at the sun kissed skin, raven hair and well defined face. It would be sad to see the powerful teal rings become consumed by the feral amber but it was a minor cost.

"You never told me your name."

Alessa tore her eyes from the window and towards the hybrid. "You know mine yet you haven't bestowed the same for me."

"How rude of me," he grinned as he joined her. "When I was alive I was known as Alexander. But now I am known as Black Hat."

"Nice and ironic," she snorted. "Your name means defender of men and you are here to destroy them."

"If I remember correctly your name is derived from Alessandra which means defender. Nice and ironic don't you think?"

"Touché," she smiled. "Though I like your name as it seems to fit you perfectly."

"Thank you." He found her simple compliment refreshing.

"I don't know why but it just does," she turned to fully face the hybrid. They stood facing one another as the train continued its trek towards the North ignoring the changing environment outside.

"You didn't deserve what they did to you. Soon I promise you will no longer feel the pain." He caught the loose strand of black and tucked it back behind her ear. His voice had dropped to a low seductive whisper. She shivered beneath his touch as the light brush of his fingers grew into deliberate sweep of his hand down her neck then up towards her face. Her heart quickened as she suddenly felt the heat flaming throughout her face and neck. A faint gasp darted past her lips as her eyes slowly closed. What was happening? What was her body reacting like this?

The cool brush of his lips along hers ignited the long dormant flame within as she leaned in hungering for more. Black Hat pushed forward giving the human what she craved. Her hands searched out and found the hybrid's face, securing her hands against the rough tanned features. Her blood was racing now and slowly winning over the need within him. The canine pierced Alessa's inner lip offering him a thick bead of crimson that slipped along his lip before it was greedily consumed by his tongue.

Alessa found herself wanting more of him but suddenly pulled back severing their heated connection. Black Hat tilted his head in confusion as she was shaking all over.

"I'm sorry," she choked a weak apology.

"Don't be," he held her chin gingerly in his fingers. "Don't ever be sorry for what your heart wants."

"It's just that..." before she could explain her stomach released a deep pang of hunger shattering the moment between them.

"Nice," she groaned as he chuckled. Could this get any better for her?

"Come," he carefully curled his hand around her bicep. "Your body is famished and you must rest before we arrive at the hive."

She didn't argue as she allowed him to lead her away from the window and towards the waiting table.

**TBC**

**Does anyone else think that Priest and Priestess would be darling together? I think so but that was just a question I wanted to throw out **


	4. Apparition

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's…..though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

As I have said before….Blame the muse…He's on a roll….

* * *

Alessa continued to feel unsettled despite the full meal that settled in her stomach. A part of her wanted to push things further with him as she knew had wanted it too. But he wasn't angry with the blunt withdraw from him but rather Black Hat had simple offered her words of reassurance.

_Don't ever be sorry for what the heart wants….._

But was it her heart or was it simply the feel of an attractive vampire human hybrid that fanned the desire she swore would never surface again. After that day in Augustine she had slipped into a deep depression of sorts and almost succeeded in killing Hicks in a moment of rage. The vase had smashed harmlessly beside his head but the knife had slashed across his chest, leaving a scar that ran diagonal across his chest from below the left nipple to the area below his right shoulder. A thin trail of raised scarred flesh was nothing compared to the heartache that haunted her.

The train continued rolling along the line as she was stretched out on the bed. Alessa wanted to sleep but knew if she did the ghosts and demons would be waiting for her in the depths of her subconscious.

_You need to rest….._

Alessa wanted to rest more than anything but the paralyzing terrors were keeping her back from the peaceful depths of slumber.

"Alessa." Alessa looked over to discover Black Hat sitting in the chair. His rough but handsome features were darkened in a frown as he noticed she was wide awake.

"I can't sleep. I know I need to rest but I can't….." She sat up and hugged her knees close to her chest. "You have no idea how I yearn to close my eyes and not endure a night where I wake up screaming or crying. Some days I feel so alone…"

"You shouldn't."

"It's a little difficult considering what I saw, did, and what awaited me after I was cast away like the others. Too bad the rope didn't hold."

"Don't talk like that!" She snapped her head up as Black Hat rose and joined her on the edge of the bed. "You are stronger than that Alessa!"

"How do you know that? How do you know I am strong?"

"Because you are here with me willing to embrace something some men would kill for. None of them are worthy of the Queen's Gift. You held your ground and fought against me in your home. I saw the vitality and determination. I could smell it on you."

His words slapped her like a hot poker as they absorbed into her mind.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to seem so dour."

"Quite alright," the hybrid waved it off. "You are not the only one that was haunted by the screams and cries of the dying. My brothers and sisters fell fighting for nothing."

"It had to be hard watching those you cared about dying in front of you."

"I was always told they were doing God's work and that they didn't sacrifice their lives for naught. But now I know better."

"We both have suffered," he continued.

"Yes," she whispered. "We have…."

"You should try to rest though," he regrettably said.

"I won't promise I will sleep."

"You said you felt alone."

"Yes," she nodded. "I do sometimes."

"Lay down," he gently insisted. Alessa stretched out and on her back. She watched as he occupied the other side then gestured for her to move closer towards him.

"I won't bite," he said with a playful grin.

Alessa rolled her eyes and rolled over to her left side. The distinct scent of earth and musk drifted into her senses, creating a strange sensation of calm over her body. Her arm slipped up and around his waist, draped across like it belonged there. She pushed closer against him with her head resting comfortably on his chest. Alessa was hesitant to let her eyes close at first but eventually she carefully let her eyelids drop.

"That's it," he whispered. "When you wake up you won't be alone."

"Better not be…."

"I promise." Something told her to believe him and she relaxed deeper against him. It was nice feeling the body of another beside hers but Alessa wouldn't admit that outright. The last time she was in this position was when she was with Hicks.

Hicks!

At the silent mention of the Sheriff's name, apprehension loomed as her muscles tightened up slightly but initial fear was replaced with indifference as he had Lucy now. So why should she care what he did or thought of now? He had the red head spoiled brat so screw him! At least someone wanted her even if it was nothing more than a companionship. Alessa inhaled the scent coming off the jacket and shirt finding a smile growing upon her lips as the call of sleep beckoned her.

_"Sister watch out!"_

_ She screamed as the Guardian vampire charged for the group. The lumbering vampire went for the closest Priest, the short mocha skinned woman with raven colored hair. The vampire leapt from the ledge of the crypts with claws extended eager to tear the human apart. The smallest member of the group swept her arm across her chest with one sharp snap of her limb. The Guardian was cast across the cavern and slammed against the wall. It groaned at the powerful blow's effects as its body had been crushed against the solid wall. She assumed a prayer stance then summoned the tiny blades, watching them levitate briefly over her head. With a simple wave of the hand the shiny weapons sliced into the Guardian's flesh and head, killing it where it was slumped over._

_ "Get the others!" She hollered at the Priests as they finished off the two other vampires that had launched attacks of their own._

_ The others quickly grabbed the down members of their group and rushed for the mouth. A sharp cry caught her attention as it was the same Priest she had saved moments before. A vampire had her by the feet and was dragging her below the sand. _

_ "NO!" She flung to the ground landing against the fluid like surface of the floor grabbing her hands keeping her upper body above the sand. _

_ "Fight!" She pulled hard at the wrists then the forearms and the biceps. "Kick it!"_

_ Her comrade struggled and wrestled against the hungry creature but she refused to let go. _

_ "I've got you," she snatched the hood with one hand and the back with another. Her progression increased as more of her sister surfaced from the grains around her. _

_ "Don't let me go!"_

_ "I won't," she felt the blood rushing to her cheeks and forehead then fanning across her neck. The sweet injection of adrenaline garnered her with strength to liberate her friend. Her waist was now visible with only her legs remaining beneath. _

_ "We're almost there," she smiled. "You can do this! Keep fighting!"_

_ Her friend smiled and climbed higher out of her containment. The vampire below snarled and growled at the loss of its meal. _

_ "Let's go," they held hands and darted through the network of passages and tunnels. The vampires were behind them and drawing closer with every step they took. Two steps for their single ones._

_ "Oh no," she darted her head around as they had returned to the central cavern. How had this happened?_

_ "This way," she tugged her friend's hand and together they raced down another tunnel. Their hearts were pounding furiously in their chests, acting as a beacon for the vampires' hearing. It was leading them straight towards them. They reached another branch and veered right not knowing if it was the way out. The muscles in their thighs and calves wailed and cramped as they pushed their bodies harder; past the point of feeling anything. _

_ "Stop," she halted then jerked around to see her friend looking down at the bite on her calf. _

_ "No," she shook her head. "No…No….."_

_ The tears pooled in her eyes as the reality settled in. She had not gotten to her in time. _

_ "Leave me," her friend begged her. "I will be only be deadweight to you."_

_ "NO! I will not abandon you!"_

_ "You are not abandoning me…." The older woman gently countered. "My fate has been chosen. You still have time. Go now…."_

_ "I-I don't want to….." tears rolled freely down her cheeks. The smile was deep and sad as the Priestess had already resolved to her doom. _

_ "You must Alessa….There is still much of God's work for you to do."_

_ "I thought I had saved you…." Alessa felt her chest constricting and throat closing in as the sobs echoed off the walls. _

_ "God will watch over me," she quickly embraced the younger girl. "Go! Now!"_

_ Alessa cried as she turned her back on her friend and sister. Her feet ferried her towards the promise of safety while behind her the dying screams of the older woman resonated throughout the Hive. _

"Rebecca!" Alessa shot up screaming the woman's name. Her shirt and forehead was mopped with sweat matting her hair to her skin. She was breathing hard and shallow practically panting as her heart pounded out of control. The sensation of heavy sorrow washed over her psyche, creating confusion as to where she was. Her mind was still trapped in the past despite the gentle shaking of the one beside her. Alessa panicked and lashed out at Black Hat as reality and dreamscape intertwined.

"NO!" She hollered and flailed her arms. "Someone help!"

"Alessa!" The strong arms locked down around her keeping her from harming herself. "Alessa wake up!"

Alessa continued to struggle and fight against him but her human capabilities were no match for the hybrid's strength.

"You're not in danger! You're safe!"

Alessa gasped and snapped her head up, blinking several times as the hellish veil was lifted from her sight. She looked around recognizing she was on the train, not in the Hive. The sun was streaming in with its invigorating bursts of warmth and light. There were no bones or skulls adorning her surroundings as it had been in the Hive. The walls were covered with Renaissance era images of angels and demons and a mirror in the corner. Alessa caught the distraught stare blaring back at her as her normally calm strands were disheveled and chaotic. Her eyes were ringed with faint red as she had been crying in her sleep.

_It happened again…._

_ Another fucking terror coming back to haunt me…._

"Alessa," the dark smooth voice gently uttered her name.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," she carded her hands through her hair as he had freed her.

"You suffered a nightmare."

"Understatement," Alessa shook her head. It was hanging down as if she were ashamed of the feral display he had been witness to. It was her own burden to suffer not his or anyone else's. "These nightmares have followed me for years. They started even when I was in the Wars. I was 12 when they came for me."

"Such a young age," Black Hat was thoroughly disgusted. The Church didn't care about the age or the families of the chosen only that they were plucked at a young age and trained in the ways of battle. The younger a child was the better it was to erase the memories of home and family; the two things that any human being wouldn't willingly be ripped away from. Alessa had a family she remembered and loved and a home.

"The others were my family but even then I felt so….different than them. I could sometimes read their thoughts or see colors around them. It was when I started hurling things with a thought that I knew I wasn't the same as them. They told me I was special and that God had blessed me with these gifts to fight the soulless."

"You were frightened."

"Yeah," she nodded. "I always slept with my back to the wall so I could see whoever tried to enter my chambers."

"You feared for your life? Why?"

"The way they looked at me and watched me; some of them held the look of lust or something even darker in their hearts."

_Bastards…..A child?_

Alessa hugged her knees and buried her head between them. It was painful to dredge her past but in a minute way it was a relief to tell another about her afflictions.

"I don't mean to drop this on you," she sniffled.

"You were subjected to things that no child should ever have to endure."

"Thanks," she wiped her eyes. "I still find it odd to be discussing this with you. No offense…."

"None taken," he smiled briefly. Alessa turned around to face the hybrid. He could see the scars that haunted her in the soulful rings as she sat with her chin on top of her knees.

"Thank you," she finally spoke up after several moments. "For staying with me and not letting me be alone."

"I kept my promise," Black Hat remarked in a somber tone. "I don't break a promise."

"Neither do I."

She scooted across the bed and joined her arms around his waist feeling him reciprocating the gesture.

"Master," the familiar intruded on the private moment. "We are at the Hive."

"Excellent."

Alessa glanced over at the familiar noting the lack of hair which exposed more of the blue grey skin that was dappled with splotches of ash. The eyes were a chilled pale blue surrounded by milky white pools. Where fingernails had been were now dominated with thick yellowish claws. They were the infected; the humans who wanted to be like the vampires.

"It's time Alessa," Black Hat slipped away then rounded the bed and stood over her. He offered a hand as he had that night in her home. This time Alessa was quicker to accept his offer as she stood and linked Black Hat's fingers with hers. He looked down and smiled reassuringly at her before they stepped off the train.

Alessa's eyes were slow to adjust to the enveloping twilight but she knew the Hive towered over her. Her body shivered subconsciously at the awe of the structure.

"It's time," Black Hat tugged her hand and she fell into line alongside him as they made their way towards the entrance. Her heart started to beat a little harder but the short pulse of his hand soothed her agitated body as the pair began the ascent towards the entrance.

**TBC...**

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**Thank you again to you the readers! **

**AnimaRosa - **Thanks for the review! Yes I am really striving to keep BH in character

**Katara Melody Cullen - **Your reviews always make my day!

**Silver Katsuyami - **I'm glad you think this is awesome!

**skycord1990 - **Yes things will be heating up and yes her hell started when she was ripped from home

**princess marrosa -** Thank you for being the first reviewer!


	5. Metamorphosis

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's….though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

* * *

Alessa grunted with each step and grip she took but then again she wasn't used to rock climbing free style either.

"No I haven't done this before," she muttered beneath her breath knowing he heard her.

"We're almost there," he could see the ledge a few feet above them. Black Hat caught a side glimpse of Alessa's body as she gripped and hoisted her body over the protruding skulls, ribs, spines, femurs, and even intact skeletons in her quest for the summit. Years of hard living in the Wastelands had tightened her arms and legs into lean sculpted limbs. The flecks in her shoulders contracted then vanished while her calves and quads rippled beneath the demands of her will. He couldn't but help to imagine what the rest of her body was like.

The sun was dipping below the sky which made Alessa somewhat apprehensive as the vampires were emerging from the depths of the Hive.

"You have nothing to fear."

"Good to know," she exhaled. The vampires watched the human and hybrid as they swung over the ledge and into the mouth of the cave. The creatures sniffed the air hungering to tear into the small human. Her scent and blood were highly alluring threatening to send them into a craze. Black Hat simply glared at the weaker vampires for several moments before they retreated.

"What did you do?" She raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"I simply warned them of the consequences of harming you. When you become like me you will be able to harness the same ability."

"Again that's good to know," her smile was light but soft which made the hybrid smile in return. His hand extended outward and was joined with her smaller warmer one.

"I'm not afraid," she whispered. "There are no monsters here. The real monsters reside behind fortified cities where they sit on their thrones of lies."

"She will like you," he started towards the sizeable entrance with Alessa tight by his side. The vampires maintained their distance but continued tracking the pair as they ventured deeper into the cavern. Strangely enough, Alessa was more at ease around them than she was back in Cathedral City. At least they wouldn't prey upon her like the predators that were clothed in robes.

"Do you know what they are saying?" Alessa asked in a hushed tone.

"They are discussing the ways to devour your flesh and blood."

"Well aren't they just the hopeful lot?"

Black Hat simply chuckled and continued guiding her towards the heart of the Hive. The clicks and growls continued to trail them but fell into the background as the narrow passageway finally opened up to the massive network of crypts and connecting tunnels. Alessa let out a small gasp as her eyes fell over the complexity and macabre beauty of it. This was the largest Hive ever to be seen with her own eyes. Below them was a lone slab that rested in the center. Black Hat closed his eyes as the images of the day he had been embraced and reborn replayed in his mind. Alessa stood rigid and observed the vampires emerging from the tunnels and gathering until they formed a tight wall around them both.

"What's going on?" She could feel her jaw clenching at the sight of so many vampires in one place. A sudden movement to her right made Alessa jerk her head to see a large mass approaching from a concealed entrance. The vampires closest to it fell back like soldiers but stood in some form or line as the Queen revealed herself.

Black Hat released Alessa's hand and slightly bowed before her.

_This is her….The one you spoke of….._

The Queen approached the human taking her chin within a curled claw.

_Her scent is powerful…..She isn't like you….Not a Priest...But something stronger..._

The claw continued exploring Alessa by tracing down her neck and shoulder before slithering around her waist and lower body. It wasn't a touch of probing but one of curiosity almost as if the Queen was being mindful and careful of where she touched.

_So much pain this one has…..So much hatred in her heart….._

Alessa blinked as she felt the sensation climbing through her body. Was the Queen expressing sorrow? Sorrow for her?

_Such a beautiful warrior…..Reduced to a weakened demoralized shell…._

Alessa felt the tear streaking down her face.

_Cry no more my child…..Vengeance will be yours….._

"I understand," she lowered her head. "I know you can see it."

_Let go…._

Before Alessa could start to comprehend the Queen's words, the flash of large elongated fangs briefly brightened her sight before tearing into her neck. It was as if the very flames of the sun were burning her flesh apart driving sharp jolts of pain deep into her body. The gurgled sounds of pain erupted through her throat and past her lips. The thick streams of blood soaked her shirt and pants as her body grew weak and struggled to keep her heart pumping what precious blood remained. The other claw wrapped around her lower back keeping the warm human body pinned close to hers as a mother would hold her child.

"Alessa," Black Hat went for her but was blocked by the Guardian protecting the Queen. It issued a warning growl to the hybrid causing him to step back from the massive creature. His eyes glowed in challenge but the Guardian refused to back down. Its impressive claws pawed at the sand keeping him at bay as the Queen gathered the dying human and lowered her upon the cold unforgiving slab. She made a quiet purring noise and the Guardian stepped down allowing Black Hat to by Alessa's side.

Her blood was drying in thick scarlet mats, mixing with the stark acidic sting of the Queen's saliva. Her hand slowly reached up then out seeking comfort from a familiar face. Her eyes were glazed and misty over as Death hovered over her. Her heart beat slowing as it lost the battle to keep her alive. The pain was so intense it prevented Alessa from calling out to him. Black Hat instantly grabbed her hand covering it with both of his. The Queen slit her wrist open allowing the life giving elixir to spill across the partly open lips. Alessa willed her tongue to dart from the cavern of her mouth and take in the offering flowing from the one above her.

The trembling started in her legs then traveled up then down through the rest of her body.

_She will survive…._

The Queen withdrew her bleeding limb leaving Black Hat alone with Alessa. Had he been through this when he was turned?

He watched as her eyes rolled back up into her head leaving a pair of milky white blanks in their place. The trembling intensified and worsened into full blown convulsions causing her body to rise off the slab then collapse with a dull thud.

"Alessa," his hands went straight for her face, keeping it still as the rest of her body continued its violent spasms. "Stay with me."

He slid her body off the stone and cradled her against him as the convulsion raged her small form. How long was this going to continue? Days? Weeks? He didn't want to think about it! The Queen promised she would survive the transition. He had to believe her.

"Bl…H…."

He pulled back holding her face to see the sapphire rings dilate then melt away as the golden amber bled in wiping clean any human traces from her eyes. He gently pulled back her upper lip spying the sharpened canines beginning to form. Her nails were thickening and sharpening into deadly talons that would slice through flesh like scissors cutting through paper.

"Lessa," he whispered allowing a spark of elation to escape. Alessa's body continued shaking but the hard spasms had released her from their merciless grip.

"Hurts…." She closed her eyes and buried her face against his chest. Alessa couldn't tell him her body was being consumed by invisible flames as the Queen's blood rushed through her body, flooding each fiber vein and nerve with the kiss of immortality.

Black Hat brushed aside a few stray strands of midnight then brought her body closer to his. The vampires were still around watching them but their auras had shifted. They weren't conspiring to tear apart Alessa but rather whispers of interest clung to the air.

_Will she be like him?_

_ Will she lead us to the Cities?_

_ She used to be like him when he was human….._

_ They will lead us to the promised lands beyond the walls…._

Black Hat snorted at their fevered whispers and hushed conversations but they were right. She would help him and the others bring about the destruction of the Church.

"I need to get you out of here," he slipped an arm under her knees and braced her back with the other. "You need to rest."

Upon standing with Alessa in his arms, something caught Black Hat's attention. He peeled back the blood stiffened shirt and lightly laughed. The gaping wound had closed up with a deep red scar now in its place.

"It's already started."

* * *

Alessa tossed and turned between the sheets as the fever coursed unabated through her body. The sheets and pillow were drenched in sweat filling the air with a stark stench. She had not awakened once since they left the Hive but the Queen's reassurances offered hope but until she was fully conscious Black Hat continued to be in a state of concern. It had been two days now since they left and two days since she was hurled into the clutches of this damned fever.

_Her blood is powerful….It will resist what I've given her…._

He had not left her side not even leaving to hunt. The familiars had delivered a strapping man of 21 which he promptly tore into before killing the man by snapping his neck. The familiars had carried away the body to which they graciously feasted upon away from the eyes of their master. To them any blood was perfectly good enough to be consumed even if it was from a dead human.

His watchful eyes stayed focused on the vulnerable figure on the bed, looking for any inkling of change. Her fangs had fully developed by the end of the first day as he had discovered. He couldn't but help to have smiled as they fitted beautifully on her. Another one like him….

It couldn't have been a better match either….

The light groaning snapped him from his thoughts. Alessa slowly shifted then opened her eyes letting them fall on Black Hat's relieved face.

"Lessa," his hands enclosed around hers.

"Here," she coughed. "What a rush."

She started to sit up but Black Hat was faster and gently pressed his hand against her shoulder.

"No," he shook his head. "You're still weak."

"I can smell myself," she narrowed her eyes at him. "Can you smell me? It's not pleasant."

She had a point. The stench of her sickness and sweat was rather nauseating to them both.

"Can I at least bathe? I'll stay put after that I promise."

"Of course," he acquiesced. Alessa kicked the soiled sheets away from her until they were crumpled on the floor. The rush of cool air around her legs had never felt so good as it did at that instant. Her legs flew over the edge and dangled on the bed with her toes brushing the carpet beneath. Black Hat as she held her up her hands to examine the razor like claws that dominated her fingers. Her face faltered slightly but then she shrugged and propelled her body off the bed. Alessa landed in a crouching stance then carefully straightened up and casually walked towards the bathroom.

"Quick healing," she sighed happily before closing the door for the bathroom.

Alessa closed her eyes and reclined her head against the smooth porcelain edge allowing the scalding hot water to penetrate her weary body. Before it would've easily scorched her fragile skin but now it was nothing more than a comfortable setting. She could hear the familiars in the next room scurrying around at the whim of their master. They would do anything he demanded of them wielding solid loyalties that would only be severed upon their deaths. Perhaps she would create a familiar or two but right now her focus was on getting back to Cathedral City. Those bastards wouldn't know what hit them.

"Alessa," Black Hat called from the other side. Alessa sighed and sat up before hollering at him to enter. So much for languishing away for the day. He quickly entered then closed the door and stood over the tub. Too bad he didn't see much as the water was milky from the soap she used.

"There is a small settlement of missionaries but a few hours away."

"Missionaries," she hissed at the mere mention of the Church's minions. Her fingers curled fiercely around the tub's edge threatening to crack the fine material. "Nothing more than soul sucking parasites. They spread the falsities of cowards."

"Yes keep that fire raging bright inside of you. You'll need it."

"It's been raging," she shot out of the water and stomped out of the tub grabbing the towel that awaited her on the hook. As Alessa went into the next room, she didn't notice the grin that crossed Black Hat's face.

"Can this get us there sooner?" Alessa pulled the shirt over her head then tugged at the pants before flopping on the bed.

"They won't be going anywhere I can assure you," Black Hat eased down beside her.

"Good," she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh did you get enough?"

"Of what?"

"My naked body," she turned to see the shocked expression which caused her to smirk. "Don't worry because if I didn't want you to get a look I wouldn't have done that."

Alessa sat up and scooted closer towards him until their sides were flush. She slid a hand across the side of his face watching him lean into it before he caught the slender hand and pressed a light kiss against it. "You don't think I haven't seen how you've looked at me? When we were at the Hive I heard you trying to get to me. You were…scared."

"The Guardian kept me from you."

"But I survived it." Her lips brushed across his. "I'm here and like you now. We're both more powerful than any Priest could ever be."

Black Hat rested his forehead against hers, feeling the cool damp strands teasing his skin. His hands cupped the sides of her face with his thumbs caressing her cheeks.

"Since that night I've wanted you." He finally confessed.

"Really?" She grinned against his mouth. Alessa had sensed the wanting inside of him but said nothing.

"Yes." The proximity of their bodies was beginning to border on intolerable as the light touches and kisses deepened between them. Their mouths locked together as the battle for dominance heated up. She sighed against his mouth as hers relented to the demanding tongue. His hands slipped down her sides then vanished beneath the tight grey shirt. She broke away from his swollen mouth letting it tasted the skin along her neck. Her hands raced up removing the hat that always stayed fitted on his head. She tossed it across the room not noticing it land on the table. The gentle raking of her claws along his scalp issued sensations of pleasure through his body.

She felt their bodies lowering on the bed with his pressed on top of hers. The growing bulge in his pants ground into her hips, an offering of what was to come.

"Lessa," he suddenly broke away and looked hard into those rich amber eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Alessa bit down on her lower lip and looked into the beautiful citrine rings. Desire loomed behind them and she knew her eyes were declaring the same.

**Me = Evil for leaving a sexual cliffhanger...Should they or shouldn't they? *Insert Jeopardy theme song***


	6. Consanguinity

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's….though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

**OMFG! This killed me to write!**

* * *

"Lessa," he whispered again. "Are you sure you want this?"

Alessa bit down on her lower lip and looked harder into his eyes. Her hands settled on the sides of his face drawing him down towards her pouty lips. She pushed hard against him, showing how badly she wanted him. Her hips bucked and gyrated into his bringing forth the deep guttural groan from his throat.

"Does that answer your question?" she briefly pulled away but kept her lips connected to his. "I want this. I want you. I need you."

"I need you Lessa," Black Hat felt the pressure alleviating from his chest. He did need her; needed her in more ways than one.

The light raking of her nails interloped with the ripping sounds of the shirt as it was being torn away. Alessa greedily ran her hands over his perfectly taut shoulders and arms then slid around to feel the ripped abs and chest beneath her touch. Her mouth latched against the smooth but cool flesh, tongue darting out to taste tanned skin. The enticing blend of earth, musk and the scent that was distinctly him danced across the surface, fueling the lust that had been steadily growing.

Black Hat groaned and kept her against him as the wet sensations continued across his skin. His pants were unbearably tight as the hardened length twitched painfully against its constraints. Alessa's sinful mouth continued exploring his naked upper torso but slowly progressed to the hemline of the dark pants. Her fingers were met with no resistance as they unfastened and tore at the zipper. Black Hat went for the snug grey shirt, pulling it up and over his lover's head then quickly discarded it. The dark bra went next. Ever since his eyes had been gifted with the sight of her naked body, the perfect mounds seemed to call out to him, daring him to tease the pert nipples with his lips and tongue.

The pressure of his fangs against her breast made Alessa sharply gasp before relaxing against him. His mouth and tongue delivered deliberate but attentive lashes making her shudder from head to toe. Her eyes closed as her head tilted back exposing the slender light olive hued neck for him to take. Black Hat savored every moment and sensation that coursed through his body. His hands hurriedly tugged at the dark pants that clung to Alessa's hips watching the juts of her hips peek out followed by the curves of her hips and thighs before the powerful pull slammed his senses. She was fully aroused; aroused for him. Her body was aching for his touch.

"Please…." She pleaded quietly. Her fingers trailed down her torso then danced across the top of the receptive flesh.

"Do you trust me?" His voice was thick with lust as it purred against her ear.

"Yes…." She tiled her head back further exposing her neck and shoulder. The pressure against the junction between her neck and shoulder turned to a sharp sting as his fangs drove into her skin, puncturing the newly cooled flesh. Alessa hissed and fisted his raven black hair tightly within her fingers. Pain surrendered to pleasure and the raging torrent that grew too loud to shut out. Black Hat continued to feast upon her blood, unable to pull away from addicting ambrosia as Alessa urged him on with her hands carding through his hair and quiet whimpers filling his ears.

So sweet…..Its power unyielding….

The infusion of their blood within his veins propelled his body into a state of perpetual euphoria. It felt as if Black Hat was drunk when he slowly withdrew then lapped away the remaining thick crimson traces as the deep circles closed up beneath his tongue. His eyes were half lidded and heavy as his lips picked up into a bloody smile. Alessa crushed her mouth against his, awakening his senses from the spell of her blood. Her slender hands slipped down and pushed away the dark pants and boxers succeeding in reaching his knees. Black Hat squirmed his way from the offense confines, grinding his naked hips into hers with each twist of his lower body. The delicious friction grew between them as bare skin slid along bare skin. The tip of his weeping member rested comfortably at her entrance, teasing Alessa's body with the tiny droplets against her sensitive flesh.

The light tension increased into thick pressure as the thick rigid member entered her body. Black Hat groaned at the clenching heat surrounding him and froze on top of Alessa.

"Move…..please….Alexander…."

Black Hat snapped his head down as she used his human name. It sounded so beautiful coming from those parted lips. Alessa caressed his face watching him catch then press his lips to her palm. In a flash his mouth was latched over hers as his body started to slowly glade against hers. Black Hat was in no rush and wanted this moment to last. The heated silk of her body welcomed him with every thrust, wrapping around him perfectly each time.

"Lessa," he panted against her shoulder. Alessa pulled his face up to hers taking her lover's mouth within hers. Their tongues swept across the other in a rhythmic dance. She felt the head of his cock probing the gathering of nerves deep within her body. Her vision was blinded with rings of white each time he thrusted in. The tightening burned like fire, gathering in intensity between her legs. She sensed he too was drawing closer as his hips were slamming against hers and his panting became deep feral growls.

Her hands fisted the sheets and hips arched up meeting his as her lower body pulsated and constricted around him. The thick scent of her release clung to their skin coating them both in the sweet essence of earth. Black Hat groaned and flipped her body over pulling Alessa to her hands and knees. The vampire instinct dominated his actions as he fucked her hard and fast. It was the instinct to mate. The ancient need had caught him off guard, taking control of his actions.

_When you find them…..Your vampire instincts will know…._

Alessa felt the foreign sensation entering her veins, uncertain of what this new emotion was.

_Lessa….Accept me…._

His voice was quiet but it was one of slight apprehension.

_Please….Let me in….._

He beseeched her.

_Yes….._

Her soft response flooded his mind. Black Hat dove down tearing into her shoulder. Alessa cried out at the intense digging pain as their bodies shuddered together. His fangs were embedded deeply in layers of muscle and skin which liberated more of the precious nectar he desired. She felt him pinning his hips tight to hers, remaining still as the rush of thick heat swept through her body, marking her as his. His claws latched into her hips, scraping along the juts of her hips. Black Hat bit harder until his fangs had vanished, buried in his lover's body. The sharp contraction shook Alessa's body eliciting another shriek between her lips.

"Alexander….." she pleaded. "It hurts…."

Suddenly the pressure abandoned her body as Black Hat jerked away showering the bed with a light trail of red.

"Lessa," he carefully put her back on the bed and ran his tongue over the wound. Guilt instantly flooded him as her tearful plea echoed in his mind. His chest tightened threatening to cut off the air from his lungs.

"Lessa, I didn't know…."

He cradled her face in his hands. Her distant look met his panicked one.

"Lessa…."

As the last syllable went silent, Alessa shot up and ripped into his throat. Black Hat cringed and let out a pained cry of his own as she increased her hold over him. His hands clawed at her back but the simple burning was ignored as the rich infusion invaded her. His blood was thick along her tongue but tasted like nothing she had ever been treated to in her life. It was like the rare stick candy that arrived once in a while in Augustine and she declared it was better than sex. And that was saying a lot.

But this…..Her lover's blood was teeming through her veins, completing the unbreakable bond they now shared. The grunts of agony subsided from beneath her as pleasure danced in his being. She felt his hand running through her hair while his arm rested firmly along her lower back.

"Yes Lessa….Seal our bond….."

Her fangs retracted allowing the cleaning sweep of her tongue to lap at the bleeding puncture wounds. Her lips smothered the wound as she suckled at the healing injury. Black Hat sat there letting Alessa have her way until she was satisfied. His eyes were closed allowing his other senses to take over. Her body radiated in the wonderful scent of sex, adrenaline, blood, and semen. The soft sucking sounds were music to his sharp ears while his hands occupied themselves with tender caresses and feathery strokes. She sucked hard against his shoulder leaving behind a purplish yellow bruise where two bite marks had been.

"Alessa," Black Hat dared to collect her face within his hands. The lazy smile was on her lips which were smeared with dried blood.

"That….Was….Amazing…." she rested her forehead to his.

Black Hat could feel that emptiness that had followed him like a dark shadow since he had been turned. He had not admitted it to himself but he had been lonely. The familiars were nothing more than mindless servants and vampires were driven by instinct. Neither option was appealing in the least. He had walked the Wastelands devising his plan wishing he had someone by his side. It wasn't any fun to construct the destruction of the Church if you did it alone.

"Do we have time to clean up before going out?"

The wicked grin lit her face.

"Of course; but first….."

The grin vanished from her face as the frown darkened her beautiful features.

"What's wrong? Did I do something? Did I say something?" Her old self emerged and went on the defense. It was the same path she took when she confronted Hicks over Lucy.

"No," Black Hat instantly smiled and ran his hands down her face and neck. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Th-Then what is it?" Alessa was confused. What was going on?

"The sensation you felt, the deep charge that surged through your body when I asked you to accept me."

"What about it?"

"When I was turned, the Queen, she told me something….."

Black Hat paused then took her hands within his and subconsciously stroked the tops with his thumbs.

"She said when I found them my vampire instincts would know."

"Know what?"

"When I found my mate."

He gauged her reaction, waiting to see if Alessa would panic or worse, shut him out. But neither materialized.

"Was that what I was feeling?"

"Yes," he licked his lips and nodded his head. Alessa tilted her head and looked at him as if to say 'was that what you were panicking over?' She took her hand and stroked the side of his face observing Black Hat closing his eyes and covering her hand with his.

"Why you didn't say that? Why were you afraid to say it?"

"I have been alone since Sola Mira. The familiars and vampires are not exactly the best company to keep. Then I saw you. So strong, brave, so pained and beautiful…."

"Yeah that's me…..A train wreck."

"No you're not Lessa. You were wronged by those you trusted."

"Great there I go," she threw her arms up. "I ruined a perfect moment…..again."

"No," Black Hat firmly shook his head. "This is perfect. You're yourself; your true self. And now I can see how beautiful you truly are…..my mate."

Alessa wiped her eyes and collapsed against his body and finally felt like she was where she truly belonged.

**TBC...A little fun in the bath then the dinner bell rings... :)**


	7. Excruciate

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's…though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

* * *

_And now I can see how beautiful you are….my mate._

Alessa closed her eyes and snuggled closer against Black Hat feeling him respond by securing his arms around her. Soon they would be at the mission where the first step in revenge would be fulfilled.

_Can this day get any better?_

She smiled into his shoulder daring to envision delicious thoughts of blood spilling at their feet.

"Care to share?"

Alessa slid her head up along his chest sharing a lazy smile with traces of wickedness. Black Hat raised an eyebrow while patiently waiting for her to respond. Alessa ran a finger over the solid defined chest and shoulders before divulging her answer.

"Well, I was just thinking about how this great day will become even greater once a certain outpost is destroyed."

Black Hat laughed at her response. The predator in her had been easily accepted, waiting for the first taste of human blood.

"But I don't want them turned. Their blood is tainted with filth."

"Which is why we are not going alone," he gently reminded her.

"If know how those hypocrites work they will have whores surrounding them. Their blood will be less vile against my tongue. They are honest in what they practice. I never held ill will towards them but rather held sympathy for their plight."

Black Hat recalled the times he had seen such women of comfort. They had been shunned by the very Church that had sworn they protected all. It was why they were in the Wastelands away from the prying eyes of the Church. They were honest in their trade as Alessa had stated.

"Collateral damage," he sighed.

"Blood has to be spilled," Alessa added. "The cost of war is not measured in material loss but in how much blood has been shed."

"Yes it is," Black Hat kissed the top of her head. "But let us savor this time together."

Black Hat rose and pulled Alessa out of the cool water. He grabbed the towel and tenderly dried off her body. He lightly nipped at her sides causing her to squirm with delight.

"My turn," she snatched the towel and reciprocated the favor. Black Hat reveled in her attentive strokes and pats, mindful of the sensitive areas. Her lips mouthed the areas she had bitten earlier earning several sighs of pleasure from her lover. As her lips withdrew from his body, Black Hat swept Alessa from the floor and carried her back towards the bed. She nestled under the blankets finding them crisp and inviting. The mattress settled as he eased in behind her. Alessa twisted around wanting to gaze into the pale yellow eyes. While a human would be reviled, Alessa thought they were hauntingly beautiful. His aura was relaxed but then again it had been that way since she was turned.

Their naked bodies locked beautifully together as one beneath the sheet with not a single bit of space between them. Alessa smiled lightly as the strong protective arms wrapped around her body with hands coming to rest across her chest. She grabbed his hands and started to lightly stroke the tops, feeling his body relax even deeper behind her. This was the beginning of her new existence.

The subtle pressure of his lips pressed against the nape of her neck, producing a tiny moan from her lips. The sprawl of midnight tresses was splayed across the pillow brushing the sides of Black Hat's face. Had he still been a Priest he would have been ignorant of the pleasures and euphoria of being intertwined with her. Never to know the touch of the deepest most intimate parts of her body or hear her scream his name as they were caught in the ancient throws of mating let alone having found his mate. The Queen had truly bestowed a cherished gift upon them both.

Alessa shifted around wanting to face her dark haired lover.

"That's more like it," she pulled him towards her expectant lips. The large powerful hands slowly explored her body like it was the first time becoming acquainted with the subtle ripples and cuts of muscle and skin. His tongue raced greedily through her mouth pausing only to linger on the identical set of fangs that mirrored his. The sensation of the needle sharp points along his tongue shot bolts of electricity though his being.

_Mine…._

Her voice rolled in his mind like an approaching storm.

_Mine and no one else's…._

She felt him withdraw but kept their mouths flush with one another.

"Always," he dove back in consuming her lips.

_As you belong to me and only me…_

The deep roll of his commanding voice echoed in her mind. But it wasn't cold and possessive but warm and embracing. Her lower body bucked against his making him swell with lust. She felt the flush heat crawling across her body from his. His hands wandered over her breasts, gently pinching the erect nipples. Alessa gasped and flung her head back as his mouth joined in on the sensual torment. Alessa slipped a hand across his tight torso, curling around the rigid weeping length. Black Hat hissed at the swift rhythmic pumping sensing it was adding fuel to the fire of lust.

_I need you…._

She nodded and rolled back onto her back dragging his solid form on top of her. Black Hat wasted no time reclaiming Alessa as his.

"So beautiful," he whispered thickly in her ear. "So mine…."

Alessa arched her back meeting his hips with hers feeling him sink deeper inside. The swollen head hit the spot buried deep inside her; the tiny spot that wielded immeasurable pleasure. Her legs lifted higher on his waist as her cries of ecstasy climbed higher and higher.

"That's it…" Black Hat purred. "Let it go Lessa….."

He felt his own body drawing close as the sexual charge surging through her body bled into his pores. He was instantly addicted. But then again he was already addicted to her; everything about her. His mouth darted over her skin, tasting the salt mixing with adrenaline and sex against the smooth hot surface. Black Hat couldn't find the words to describe what was racing through his mind as the deep shuddering racked his body spilling into hers.

"Lessa…." He growled against her shoulder. His mate fisted the short dark locks and thrusted her body in a final collision as he rode out the intense climax. Alessa was panting hard as she was lost in the sea of his sexual bliss which only made this delicious moment between them more intimate and meaningful.

His hips slowed down until they went still against her own. Neither was in a rush to unwind the tangle mass of legs and arms though they couldn't linger for much longer. Black Hat lightly traced the knots of her spine, feeling the planes on either side ripple in response. There would be more times like this in the future but unfortunately today was not one of those days.

"Lessa, we have to get ready," he regrettably pulled away taking her up and off the bed.

"Fine," she sighed in a huff.

"Do not worry for we will have our time."

"I'm going to keep you to that," she flashed a grin which revealed her canines towards him.

"I never break a promise," Black Hat quietly reminded her then stole a quick kiss before ushering her back towards the bathroom.

"Master we are here," the familiar announced from the door.

"Excellent," Black Hat nodded. He was clad in the same black shirt, pants, boots, jacket, and of course hat. "Are you ready Lessa?"

Alessa finished lacing up her boot then glanced over her shoulder giving her lover an affirmative nod.

"I've been ready for a long time now."

* * *

The train came to a halt at the long neglected station. The town, Samarra, was more of a missionary's outpost than town as there were more of the Church's agents than actual civilians. The few residents gathered were there for safety than anything. No families existed but rather it was occupied by outcasts who wished to be out of the microscopic eye of the Church.

The streets were quiet as everyone was locked up behind the security of their doors and windows….

Or so they thought…..

Father Markus didn't choose this as his station but rather the Church had made his decision for him. A token of gratitude for years of unwavering service during the Wars they told him but in reality it was their way to be rid of another reminder of that era. The priests under his supervision were young and bawdy having forgotten what their main mission was. Instead they were taking in the sins of the flesh as the few women who hung around volunteered their bodies for the company of another. They didn't care what the men wanted as long as they could have that night of comfort.

The rapping on the door caught the older man's attention causing him to peer suspiciously at the door. Who could be out at this ungodly hour? Perhaps it was one of the so called locals out in another drunken stupor like many of them had decided to remain in.

He cautiously stepped closer towards the door with gun drawn in one hand. He may be a man of God but he wasn't a foolish man.

"Father?" A female voice weakly called out. "I'm in need of help. Someone please help me?"

Relaxing slightly, Father Markus straightened then slowly opened the door. Standing on the other side was a woman of short physique with raven black hair that draped past her shoulders. She was dressed in pants, boots and shirt that appeared to be very well fitting on her upper body. Her face was turned down to the floorboards.

"What is it my child?"

"Thank goodness someone answered," the woman responded joyfully. "I have been traveling for days and haven't eaten since."

"Well come in child," the holy man opened the door to let her in. The woman stepped in and Markus went to close the door only to feel a solid force keeping it open. Markus shoved with everything he had but the door was pushing the opposite way as Black Hat entered showing off his golden amber eyes and fangs.

"What in the name of God….."

"God can't help you," the woman shot her head up with identical eyes and fangs. Her eyes burned with a cold hatred directed towards him. "It's time you and the rest of your kind atone for your sins…..Father."

The other vampires rushed in but Alessa was quick to make her wishes known. With a wave of her hand she sent the other man sailing across the room, breaking his back as he crashed violently against the solid prayer table. He screamed in agony as he landed on the floor.

_The ones proclaiming to be men of God are yours for the taking but leave the women for us!_

The creatures pounced on Markus tearing at his robes as the alluring scent of his blood drove them insane with the blood lust. His dying screams fell upon deaf ears as Alessa and Black Hat casually strolled up the stairs towards the rooms that held the shrieks and ear piercing screams of the women.

Their heartbeats called out to the hybrids as they stepped over and around the mangled corpses of the Church's minions. The vampires feasted noisily on their prey with some fighting over various parts. Alessa smiled to herself as she watched her brethren enjoy the hearty bounty. She went into the first room watching as the vampire had cornered the whore in the far left side.

"Stop," she barked from behind. The sharp tone made the creature bow down and step aside allowing its superior to assume control. "Patience," she ran her hand across the top of the vampire's head feeling it settle down against her touch. "Your time is going to come I promise. We both know there are greater things awaiting you and I but tonight it is my time."

The vampire growled but darted from the room leaving Alessa lone with the shaken woman. She couldn't have been about 18 years old with burgundy locks that were disheveled and sticking out from the hair tie on the back of her head. Her clothing was scant: A corset that was two sizes too small and fishnet leggings that made her legs look thicker than they appeared. Her mascara was smeared like the coal dust of the walled cities, discoloring her otherwise beautiful pale skin.

"P-Please…" she tearfully beseeched. The girl's pain slammed Alessa's body as her empathic abilities had enhanced from the transition. It was like she was inside the girl's body and mind, living her pain and fears as if they were her own. The urge to cry was powerful but the hybrid shook it off, refusing to let this weak human's pitiful emotions drag her down.

"Shhhh," Alessa pressed a finger to her lips. "It's going to be over soon. Don't be afraid."

Her lips lifted up into a smile scaring the girl more as she caught sight of the fangs. Alessa stepped closer and lightly stroked the younger girl's face.

"I'm going to free you from this life," she whispered in the girl's ear. "No longer will you be a whore for cowards and sadists."

Before the girl could ask, the piercing pain tore through her body as the fangs ripped into her shoulder and throat. The girl never had a chance to scream as it along with her life went silent in an instant. Black Hat watched from the door as Alessa fed until the last drop of blood was drained from the girl's body then callously dropped the corpse to the floor. The sight of blood coating her full lips and golden rings glowing with satisfaction made her look even more beautiful than she normally did. She was his ethereal huntress.

Alessa closed her eyes and licked her lips clean of the remaining elixir knowing Black Hat was standing there behind her, taking in the sight of her after she made her first kill. Alessa had seduced the young girl, offering comfort in the shape of Death. She could feel his elation over bearing witness to such a spectacular drama as it unfolded.

"That was breathtaking," he wrapped his arms around her waist. The scent of the woman's blood clung to her mouth and tongue drawing him in to taste the fleeting tresses. Their mouths connected sharing the victory of Alessa's kill. The other vampires had taken the corpses away leaving behind silence…..heavy but sweet silence.

"I'm glad I could appease," she purred in his ear. Black Hat chuckled in response. She didn't have to appease him. She would never have to appease him. They were equals, partners, and mates.

"There is no need to please me," his forehead was leaned against hers. "You executed that perfectly on your own."

Alessa smiled and tingled from head to toe as the thrill of the kill washed over her being. The comfortable sensation was now settling in as her first feeding soothed her body and mind.

"I feel tired," she yawned.

"The first kill is like being drunk Lessa but the more often you feed the better it gets. Come, let us rest. We have had a very active night."

Rest, yes that would be wonderful. Letting her mate support her heavy limbs, Alessa stepped out the door and headed back towards the station. As they started up the steps something caught her eye making her stop.

"Lessa what is it?"

Alessa pulled away from Black Hat and knelt down plucking the ring from the warped floorboard. It was silver with an intricate design that was highly detailed. The stone was a rich burgundy that held a crest on top of it. Black Hat caught the distant look growing in her eyes as her hand began to tremble. He instantly felt the wounds being shredded open as the tear trickled down his cheek. It was Alessa's pain he was feeling.

"Lessa," he swooped down and gathered her in his arms as the memories invaded his thoughts.

_The hand belted her across the face when she cried out at the intrusive pressure between her legs. The ring cut deep into her cheek leaving a smear of red on the stone. _

_ "You will lay there and take it," the voice snarled angrily in her ear. _

_ "N-No…please….stop…." she weakly pleaded but the hand struck her other side delivering an identical cut on the opposite cheek. The man on top of her had tied her wrists with rope keeping her from fighting back as he fucked her into the mattress. Her body had resisted, tightening up to keep him from stealing what wasn't his to take. But he refused to be denied what had been given to him. _

_ "We're just getting started," he pried her legs wider then cruelly thrusted inside. She wailed out which angered the man causing him to strike her once again. Alessa sobbed as he drove harder inside, tearing her body apart for his sick pleasure. _

_ "A virgin…." He grinned. "Truly a gift indeed."_

_ The pain washed over her as he broke the barrier inside. She could smell faint hints of blood and knew it was hers. The grunts above her grew longer and deeper as her body surrendered letting him take what he wanted the most. The warmth was fanning through her body as she panicked internally. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel this way? She didn't like this! She didn't want this! _

_ "So beautiful," he moaned as she convulsed around him. Her sobbing grew louder as he flung his head back and spilled into her unwilling body. She felt the weight crushing her as he collapsed onto her. _

_ "So good…." He nibbled at her neck and ear then shoved two fingers in her mouth. "Suck them…"_

_ Alessa bit down causing him to yelp and forcing him to snatch his fingers back. He retaliated by taking the injured digits and plowing them in the tight ring of muscle. Her back arched off the bed as the burning pressure exploded in her lower body. _

_ "You want to be rough? I'll give you rough," he jerked his fingers out then mercilessly thrusted in. This was worse than the first time! Her body was being split apart! _

_ He slammed his hips against her feeling his cock become slick with her blood. _

_ "Take it," he dug his nails into her sides, drawing out 10 half moon shapes. Alessa kept sobbing as he pummeled harder against her. His body coiled tighter with each thrust then the wonderful explosion flooded his body as he filled her once again. _

"It was him," she snarled. "He did this to me!"

"Who Lessa?" Black Hat was stroking her hair as she shoved the ring in her pocket.

"Father Markus was the one who raped me. He robbed me of my virginity and innocence. But he wasn't the first."

"And he's dead now."

"Take me back to the train," she looked up with wide frightened eyes as Alessa resembled a scared child then a ruthless killer. It was breaking Black Hat's heart. "I want to be gone from this place."

"Of course," he held her tight as they walked together towards the waiting locomotive.

**Wow that was TOUGH to write! Well one part of her past has been revealed...Not pretty :(**


	8. Expatiate

_**A/N:**_ I don't own anyone but my OC's…..though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

**It was asked by Katara Melody Cullen about the ring found at the end of the last chapter and it was Father Markus's ring; the same ring that showed up in Alessa's flashback. That's how she knew it was him that assaulted her.**

**PS - The muse's mind went into the gutter in the end...Blame him not me**

* * *

The attack left a bitter taste in Alessa's mouth.

Black Hat noticed the solemn expression that robbed her beautiful features of the light he had grown fond of. Her face had been contorted in fear as her past resurfaced in the carnage and blood.

_Take me back to the train…..I want to be gone from this place….._

He was only more than happy to acquiesce her plea and whisked her back on board. The vampires and familiars had dragged the corpses away leaving behind walls and streets painted in blood that resembled grotesque artistry rather than carnage. Now they rested in their crypts with patience on their side. No one would miss the missionaries. They had been long forgotten by the Church which was supported by the last communications from Cathedral City. It had been two years prior.

The hybrid looked down at Alessa as she slept off the blood intoxication. Feeding for the first time was always the hardest. It was difficult to control one's instinct as the need to feed was akin to a tsunami that pounded an island unabated with no hope in sight. Alessa had vomited several times on the way back but Black Hat had held her up and soothingly ran his hand over her back as her body knew coming face to face with her rapist compounded her misery. But even then she had won, seizing her first step in vengeance against the Church.

* * *

_Cathedral City….._

"Has anyone heard from Markus?"

Monsignor Orleas questioned the others. There was a mumbling across the hall as they shook their heads and shrugged shoulders with uncertainty. It had been a few days since his last contact with the man. Markus was not the kind to be tardy or absent when keeping ties with the Church. The party of missionaries had been dispatched, handpicked by Orleas of course, to establish a Church presence in the Wastelands. While the official statement of being hands off and letting the outposts and towns fend for themselves, the Church has always been present outside of the walled cities. The Reservations were overseen by the Church with its own soldiers manning the institutions.

_Faith….Work….Security….._

The trinity was etched on every available space wherever the Church carried influence. The very words in which all lived by to maintain order within its realm.

_To go against the Church…..Is to go against God…_

"We are dispatching another band from the closest outpost to determine the situation with Father Markus," Monsignor Chamberlain finally addressed the jittery group. "Once they arrive and assess things we will have contact. Probably bandits or scavengers have disrupted the communications again."

The clergy hurriedly mumbled in short agreement not realizing they were wrong…

Dead wrong…..

* * *

Alessa emerged from the depths of slumber to soothing sensation of fingers gliding through her hair. Soon the weight of another was pressed against her back. Her body was heavy with the burden of the intoxication but the severity had subsided substantially since returning to the train. Still, her stomach was tumultuous refusing to settle and grant her peace.

_How much longer will this go on?_

She groaned as the knots tightened and slowly curled up into a tight ball. This was worse than any cramping or nausea that cursed her body when she was human!

"Lessa," she heard the quiet whisper pulling her back. "Lessa drink this."

Black Hat cradled her in his arms, positioning her so she could take what he offered. His hand steadily tipped the rim to her parted lips, controlling the ribbon of burgundy that streamed into her mouth. Alessa forced her body to accept crimson velvet, knowing it was going to ease her pain.

_It will get better the longer you feed….._

The instant the blood splashed across her aching insides, the stronghold of pain revolted against it causing her teeth to grind against one another. Her eyes squeezed a tear as Alessa felt the urge to vomit racing towards the surface.

"I know how much it hurts."

Black Hat continued holding her close to him. He didn't have anyone when he suffered the same afflictions but felt the invisible knives stabbing at his torso. But the unseen blades were slowly abating in their assaults, reliving Alessa of some of her suffering. She exhaled in relief but was cautious in taking air in. Her hands clawed at his jacket when the firestorm swept through her lungs then stomach. But the need to purge never came. Instead it was silent.

Alessa dared to stretch out her legs finding the numbness prickling at her legs as feeling returned to the coiled muscle and tendons. Her arms reached out pulling the planes along her back and shoulders out of their knotted trance. The fresh infusion of blood was winning out, expelling the sickness from her body. Her stomach settled which echoed in Black Hat's being, quelling the pain that only moments before had ravaged them both. A subtle warmth soon converged, relaxing both of their bodies.

"Got anymore?" Alessa looked up with a thin smirk on her lips.

"Of course," the cup was curled fiercely in her hands as she tilted her head back and gulped the remaining contents. "That is so much better."

Alessa pulled at her mate, urging him to sink back down in the bed. Black Hat eased his taller frame down along beside her but giving her the space to move around until they were resting nose to nose. "Thank you."

"For what?" He arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"Taking care of me."

"It's what we do for one another," Black Hat shook off her unnecessary words. "It's part of being my mate Lessa. It's instinct and emotion tied into one. If one is hurt the other will do whatever it takes to care for the other."

"Well it doesn't mean I won't thank you."

Black Hat lightly chuckled at her stance as that was the Alessa he knew. "Well then in that case you're welcome. I would do it again and again."

"You're sweet you know that?" There was that vibrant light peering through.

"And you're feisty you know that?"

"Of course," Alessa grinned and shut her eyes as her fingers caressed the side of his face. "You wouldn't want me any other way."

"Never," he caught her hand and pressed a light kiss in the center of the palm.

"So where are we off to now?" Her mind went straight to their mission.

"There is a reservation about two days away. It's a small one compared to Nightshade."

"Excellent," she grinned wider. "They deserve to be free."

Alessa swore she could feel the vampires' pain of being confined to such barbaric conditions. They were being punished for what Nature had gifted them with. It was the humans who should be locked up in such putrid filth! Never to be allowed to roam without restriction!

"Yes they do," Black Hat wholeheartedly agree.

"You know," Alessa sat up, "I think becoming a hybrid has amplified my powers."

"Really?"

"Yep," she elevated a hand, "Watch."

Black Hat wasn't sure what she was planning but it didn't take long for him to figure out what. The entire bed along with them on it levitated off the floor.

"I couldn't do this when I was….._human._" She said with drops of disgust at the last word. "The most I could do was hurl a Guardian vampire across a room. But this…..this is better. All I'm doing it concentrating on the bed yet I'm also talking to you. It's not as hard as before."

"I see that," Black Hat was thoroughly amused by her antics but knew what she was demonstrating. Her powers were a potent weapon against those who stood against them. Father Markus had been the first witness of her talents; well, before the vampire ripped him to shreds like the cheap piece of rotted meat that he was.

"No Priest will be able to survive. Not when I can smell their fear as clearly as I can smell the blood running through your veins. I can smell them…in the back of the train. Can you?"

"You can smell the others?"

"Oh yeah," she flashed a wicked grin. "They're growing so strong."

Alessa was speaking of the new vampires that had been bred from their original stock. But they were the first generation with more to follow.

The bed returned to its resting place without so much as a jolt. Alessa sprawled out on the bed never letting her devious grin falter. Her eyes lit up with the intensity of a summer storm while her mind devised the wonderfully bloody ends for her enemies.

"When is the next town?" She suddenly inquired.

"About another day away. It will be the last one before the Reservation."

"Awesome," Alessa nestled against him. "I feel an urge coming on…."

"For?"

"I want to play with them like a cat plays with a mouse before delivering the death blow. You wouldn't have a problem with that would you?"

"Never," he lifted her up until Alessa was straddling his lap. "I have to admit watching you with that girl was….amazing."

"Really?" Her hips ground into his causing Black Hat to groan.

"Really," his lips pressed against her neck. "You don't know how incredibly arousing it was watching you drain her dry and the way her blood dripped off your lips and fangs."

Alessa slipped a little way down his legs, replacing her hips with her hand and massaged the growing bulge in his pants.

"Thinking about it even now…." He gasped as her hands pried the zipper apart then slipped a hand past the cotton and denim. Her fingers gingerly enclosed the weeping member and slowly glided her soft firm grip along the length to the nest of curls at the base then up towards the tip, pausing to tease the sensitive flesh with her thumb. Black Hat hissed and flung his head back as his clawed hands fisted the sheets on either side of him.

"Lessa…." He growled in pleasure. "Please….."

"Please what," she whispered seductively in his ear. Her fangs grazed the outer part of his ear sending shivers of lust down his spine.

"Wanna….Be….Inside….Please…."

Alessa had quickly discovered her sexual prowess had been increased tenfold since turning. Black Hat sensed the surge within her as her skilled hands pulled away the dark pants and thin layer of cotton below. His eyes were glazed over in lust as they trailed those sultry lips as an invisible trail was created down his neck, pausing only to peel away the obstructive shirt and scarf. The wet sucking sensation continued down the chiseled chest, along the protruding collarbone before slipping down along the rippled abs. The sharp cuts fluttered beneath the feathery caresses which were rewarded with her lips nibbling and mouthing even more against him.

She felt her body become a fiery enclave of desire and need. The fire burned greatest in her lower body, screaming to be quenched by him. Her mouth darted a little lower until her lips lightly enclosed the very head. Moans of pleasure filled the room but Black Hat or Alessa didn't care if anyone heard them.

"Lessa," he panted hard. Alessa responded and hummed softly as her swollen mouth bobbed up and down the twitching member. Her mate's hips bucked against her as he hungered for more. Her fingers slipped between his legs, slowly massaging and kneading the neglected flesh. The scent of his sex filled her senses as her nails continued to dance and tease his most intimate areas. She loved the scent his body radiated when he was aching for her touch. Alessa was only happy to oblige and ran her tongue along the pulsing vein.

Black Hat fisted her raven hair, sensing the coiling beginning to gather in the depths of his body. His keen senses picked up the powerful essence coming from her still clothed body. It bled through the camisole and pants, soaking the material in the invisible layer. He need her now, beneath him, in front of him, it didn't matter!

The sudden shift caught Alessa off guard as her camisole and pants were hurriedly discarded to the floor. She was flat on her back as his solid frame was poised on top of her naked body.

"I need you," he growled. His hands curled under her knees and lifted her hips as he impaled his lover with one thrust. Alessa cried out at the thick intrusion but soon the cry was replaced with a guttural groan. Black Hat felt the rich velvet walls immediately close around him, beautifully fitting his rock solid cock. His thrusts were deep and hard but Alessa loved it a little rough. It was incredibly hot to watch him dominate her as he was at that moment.

"Harder," she fisted the sheets and arched her back. Black Hat grinned and caught her mouth in a heated thorough kiss. Their tongues wrapped around one another never tiring of exploring the other's mouth. Her mouth smothered his, sucking on the thick muscle of his tongue. The sexual charge sizzled in the air as the lovers got lost in one another, focused on what the other needed.

Her nails raked down his spine then up along the flexing fibers of muscle. She drew blood but the thin red lines healed as fast as they appeared. The pinprick of his fangs imprinted along her neck threatening to pierce the soft smooth skin.

"Do it," she tilted her head offering up the river of burgundy for him to drink from. Black Hat carefully punctured the juncture of her shoulder and neck, savoring the spring that had erupted. He felt her clenching around him as the sweet sensation of release loomed. Their sexes twisted together as his hips pounded harder against her. Alessa gasped and panted as he continuously rammed the mound of nerves and flesh, creating bright flashes within her sight.

Her body had long surrendered to him, giving herself over to his will.

"Al…Alex…" she couldn't finish crying his name as the convulsions tore through her body. They were swift and powerful enhancing the essence that flowed from her body. Her scent now marked him as it had before only it was more distinct and potent as it coated lower body. Black Hat groaned she constricted around him, milking his own release from his body. The sensations slammed his body like a train, causing him to wrap tighter around her. Her legs locked against his waist, pinning him in place as they reached their heated climax. Their bodies trembled as the final throes shuddered from them both, leaving the lovers shaky but extremely sated.

Neither one moved as their forms remained wrapped as one. Alessa carded her fingers through his disheveled hair, feeling the dampness against her palm. Both were panting hard as their bodies descended from the incredible high.

"Lessa," he drawled her name.

"You okay?" She frowned and took his face in her hands. Black Hat had a lost expression on his face but he managed to smile and nod his head.

"Yes," he sighed like a school girl who had fallen in love for the first time.

"I told you everything was increased," she kissed him hard before allowing him to rest against her. Her mate could only nod and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Now rest," she urged while stroking his hair and lulling him to sleep. Soon Alessa found her own body growing exhausted and snuggled in against his chest, letting her head come to rest against his shoulder.

**Everything was amplified...Even her sexual urges...But like Black Hat would really complain ;) Okay next chap will be back on plot...Bad muse for going dirty**


	9. Habituate

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's but I wished I owned the rest…..*sighs*…..

* * *

Alessa strolled from car to car taking in the sight of the perfectly stacked crypts that towered over her. Beautiful silent sentinels that each housed a member of their growing army. The stone pillars housed the original generation, the line that would give birth to the extinction of humanity. She paused in the center of the car and slowly closed her eyes. Her remaining senses filled the void her sight created.

_I can hear them…._

Her lips curled into a dark grin.

_They can sense me….._

Alessa's eyelids fluttered open and her hands stretched out brushing the fronts of the surprisingly smooth sides. Each one she made contact with the inhabitant within responded.

_Alessa…._

_ Our Queen was right in selecting you….._

_ We will follow you….._

_ We serve you….._

The hybrid stopped just before the door and twirled around coming face to face with a familiar. He was one of Black Hat's fiercest but most loyal minion.

"Yes, what is it?" She inwardly groaned as her walk amongst the vampires was therapeutic for her soul.

"Master requests your presence," the blue skinned creature gently spoke.

"Alright," she sighed regrettably. The rest of her stroll would have to wait for another time.

_I will return my kin….._

Alessa reassured the vampires before closing the door behind her.

* * *

Black Hat poured over the maps on the table when the light rapping forced his attention away from the desk.

"Lessa," his face brightened as she entered. "I apologize for pulling you from your explorations."

"Quite alright," she waved his apology off. "What are you doing?"

"These maps," his hand waved over the various maps that overlapped one another smothering the warped surface of the desk. "Reveal all of the reservations, towns, and outposts throughout the Wastelands."

"What about any…..other settlements?"

The liquid gold burned then narrowed to two deadly daggers. Her anger was raging stronger than ever since the encounter with Markus. Good, let that fire burn in her slender body because she would need it for later.

"They are scattered but the agents of the Church that reside out here will also be in these towns as well."

Alessa simply nodded and examined the map that was sprawled out over the rest. The spheres of red indicated outposts or towns while those in black indicated the remaining reservations. Sola Mira was off in the distance which served as their advantage. So long as the vampire menace was considered obsolete, they were free to carry on without the meddling Church.

"How can we remain invisible to the humans without those needling bastards getting any ideas?"

Black Hat stopped and lifted his head to see the questioning look Alessa cast towards him. She did have a point: Never underestimate the Church even now as the Wars had been long since ceased.

"We stay in the deepest reaches of the Wastelands," he shuffled the maps around until the one he sought emerged. "There are many of these settlements which will serve to keep us replenished until the time is right."

"But do they know not to go into a bloody orgy? You and I both know how vampires work and think. Instinct drives them not reasoning."

"Of course I do," he smiled thinly. "I have thought of that."

"Enlighten me then," she leaned forward over the desk, low enough for low swoop of her shirt to offer up a little treat for her mate. Of course Alessa wasn't doing it on purpose as she was focused on going after the humans.

"We can make it appear as if it were bandits or vagrants that attacked the towns. It would not be that difficult to accomplish."

"I like it," she grinned. Alessa had seen what the gangs of thieves and scavengers could do to a pathetic little settlement. They wandered the Wastelands taking what they wanted at will. Some would take only what was needed to survive while others thrived on carnage. The Church was turned off to this as in their eyes those wretched souls were in God's hands and whatever punishment was handed down was justified in their twisted logic.

"Once we have allowed the vampires to gorge themselves we will return to Sola Mira where the hive will be rebuilt as they breed more of our kin."

"And no one will bother us?"

Black Hat lightly chuckled. "As far as the humans are concerned all of the hives were liquidated after the Wars."

"Yet Sola Mira survived."

"Correct," he nodded. "After that day, the Queen entrusted me to continue on with the plan."

"To bring the Church to its knees….." Alessa sighed happily. "But I get Orleas!"

"There was never a question of the matter," Black Hat stood to meet her level. "The Queen is aware of your afflictions and it has been made clear the clergy are ours."

"Excellent," she clapped her hands together. "It would be a travesty if we didn't get them. I want to make them suffer before ripping their hearts out."

"A woman after my own…..heart?" He raised an amused eyebrow with an equally amused smile.

"Funny," Alessa groaned and rolled her eyes.

* * *

Hicks walked through the double doors to the waiting clergy. He dropped to one knee and removed his hat, placing it against his chest.

"Thank you for seeing me," he scanned the row of unreadable faces.

"What is your problem my son?" Orleas's voice boomed across the cathedral style ceiling. Father Chamberlain watched the young man as he rose to his feet and took a deep nervous breath.

"My name is Hicks and I'm the Sheriff of Augustine. A few days ago my girl, I mean my friend went missing from her home. I think it was a vamp attack."

The clergy's voices rumbled like waves over a rocky cliff as the mention of their long defeated foes had life breathed into it. Chamberlain raised an eyebrow at his accusation while Orleas chuckled at this theory.

"Vampires? My boy we locked the vampires away or killed them. Perhaps you are mistaken and it was of her own free will that she abandoned her residence."

"No," Hicks pursed his lips and tightly shook his head. He could feel his anger rising at the aloof attitude the elder clergy displayed before him. "Alessa wouldn't do that."

"What makes you so certain of this?" Father Chamberlain spoke up.

"She was content out there away from all of this. She wouldn't leave it; not for anything or anyone."

"Then perhaps bandits came along in the night."

"There was one set of footprints aside from hers. It wasn't bandits! There were no tire tracks no other indication of more than one individual!"

Hicks was growing thoroughly disgusted by the blatant arrogance Orleas continued to flaunt. Just because he was locked away in this polluted shit hole he so easily turned a blind eye to the plight of those in the Wastelands. Well may he choke on the very pretentiousness that he spews!

"Well the Church is not concerned with matters in the Wastelands, Sheriff. You are dismissed."

Chamberlain watched as the young man shoved his hat on his head and stormed out of the hall. The chilled rings of ice had fixed on Orleas before turning away towards the doors. Orleas continued to laugh at the young man even as he was now absent from their presence.

"Vampires," he snorted. "The young man has no idea."

While a couple other members of the clergy chimed in with their own added mockery, Chamberlain was deathly quiet. Alessa…..

That name sounded familiar but where had he heard it? Surely he couldn't be referring to….

No, that would be preposterous. Alessandra had died from infection after the Wars. Her body had been incinerated and ashes contained. He knew as he had overseen the grisly task along with the countless other warriors who had fallen during and after the Wars. Perhaps it was another girl with the same name to which he was seeking.

* * *

The blades sang as they sliced through the air.

Alessa had been practicing with the Katana blades as a way to keep her mind preoccupied during the journey. The comfortable weight of the ancient blades were like extensions of her arms as they conducted fluid control motions over beside and around her body. It was like she never stopped using them. Her foot stomped down as the other lunged forward in sync with the swords thrusting out in two sharp stabs.

Black Hat was leaning against the wall, watching her move with the poise and grace of a cat. Her face was etched in deep concentration and he knew she was imagining the clergy falling beneath her with their blood coating her blades. To him it was a beautifully orchestrated dance of silver and flesh, creating the exotic creature that moved before him. He observed the ripples of her arms and chest as the tiny fibers worked as one to carry out her silent demands. Her movements mimicked his as her slender form blurred then focused on the other side of the car.

"Very impressive," he pushed off the wood panels and started towards her. Alessa smiled as he slid the powerful but also attentive hands along her face and drew her mouth to his. Her body charged as it absorbed his emotions into her. The genuine sentiments made her heart swell as the tender connection broke away.

"Thanks," she replaced the blades in the scabbards. "I suppose it's like riding a bike: One never forgets how."

"Your body's trajectory is sharper than before."

"You know, you know an awful lot about me. Did you stalk me when you were human?"

Black Hat was silent but his eyes betrayed him.

"You did know me when I was human."

"Not personally," he admitted. "But I knew of you. You were one of the very rare breeds."

"Okay, I'm not a horse," she stood with her hands on her hips. Her lips were jutted out in a faux pout.

"What I meant was your powers were greater."

"I was one of the secret weapons that sealed the final blow against the vampires."

Poison laced the tip of her tongue like a bitter herb, leaving a vile taste in her mouth.

"I helped in destroying one of the remaining Queens. I exterminated the Guardians allowing for the others to swoop in and slaughter her like livestock. I heard her crying and screams in my head as the blades ripped through her flesh, shedding her blood on the floor of the hive. Those same mournful echoes followed me beyond the Wars, reminding me that I was a murderer."

"Lessa," Black Hat pulled her by the hips until she was pressed against him. "That wasn't your fault. You were a puppet."

"Doesn't mean I didn't harbor some guilt over my role in it….."

"Shhhh," his index finger pushed against her lips. Alessa leaned in softly kissing the single digit. "You cannot dwell on the past as it is gone, written and never to be changed. But the future remains within our control, Lessa."

Alessa closed her eyes and gradually nodded in agreement.

"Avenge the Queen who fell before you…"

"You're right," her eyes flashed open displaying the deep citrine rings. "The blood of the clergy will atone for my sins."

"And they will," his voice dropped to a low whisper. "Now show me what else you can do."

"How about I show you when we reach town? It's more fun when you're with friends…."

The wicked grin flashed across her mouth showing off the ivory daggers.

"I agree," Black Hat nodded. "It's always better with friends…."

**The girl can bounce back can't she? **


	10. Anticipation

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's….though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

**I apologize if this is a bit shorter than normal but I wanted to get this posted...**

The Solanum reservation was half the size of Nightshade.

The solid confinement of steel, concrete, iron, and wire housed 35 vampires, each within their own prison of solitude. Over the duration of their confinement, the lack of blood had started ripping at their bodies and minds in the manifestations of wails and shrieks that fell upon the deaf ears of the Church sanctioned guards. What trivial group of familiars that resigned within the impenetrable walls had no power to break free or meet the end of the shrapnel filled bullets resting in the guards' high powered weaponry.

The disgusting motto of the Church, _Faith, Work, Security,_ stared down to any visitors reminding them the Church was always watching. The stark white lettering set against the black background made some feel as though it was a pair of predatory eyes boring down into their souls as they crossed the suspended walkway over the old quarry then into the depressive realm within. It was farce to those like Alessa and Black Hat for it was nothing more than lie.

* * *

Alessa laced the scabbards to her vest, eager to run the ancient blades through human flesh. She had no desire to feed off the vile blood of the clergy that may be present but any other human was fair game in her eyes. They were awaiting the return of the scouts that had raced ahead to assess the situation.

"How are you feeling?" Black Hat slipped behind her nuzzled the side of her neck. Her skin was light and crisp from the luxurious bath they had shared earlier in the day.

"Much better," she leaned back pressing into his waiting arms which locked around her waist. "It's like I'm a brand new person."

"Well you are in a way Lessa. You're stronger now; faster and more powerful."

"Thanks to you," she spun around and locked her hands behind his neck. "I would've been stuck on that patch of wasteland if you had not come along that night. I suppose in a way you were my own angel of the night."

The train started to slow signaling they were near the reservation.

"Master," the familiar returned from his scouting mission.

"Yes," Black Hat didn't relieve his hold on Alessa as the creature drew closer.

"We bring news of Solanum. There is a contingent of six guards on the outer perimeter; heavily armed."

Alessa snorted at the last note. "Those guns won't protect the humans."

"But they can still injure us," Black Hat gently reminded her. "We have to exercise vigilance."

"Which I will," Alessa shot back. "But remember what I am capable of now."

Her eyes glowed amber gold before calming down beneath the steady hold of his gaze.

"I am more than aware of what you can do but never underestimate humans."

"You're preaching to the choir on that one."

Black Hat couldn't but help to smile at his mate. Alessa knew she was right.

"Once the sun sets we strike. You should rest Lessa."

"Probably not a bad idea," she shrugged and flopped down on the bed. "But I have one request: You join me. You can look at your maps after we raid the reservation."

"Go," Black Hat waved his hand dismissively at the familiar. The blue grey skinned creature slightly bowed before taking his absence. Alessa had stretched out on the bed with eyes closed but fully alert. He slipped the duster boots and hat off before crawling behind her. The invisible blanket of his scent made her body relax though Alessa didn't realize she had tensed up. Her mind started to wander but the path it followed she couldn't block.

_The Sais were comfortable in her hold as she stayed in the center of the group. She was one of the few, the special ones who started to turn the tide even harder in favor of the humans. Alessa was 16, a battle hardened veteran of the Wars before she had lived half of her twelfth year. Long ago she had learned never to grow too close to any of her comrades for they could easily fall or worse. _

_ Still her heart ached for the loss of Rebecca. The older woman had assumed the role of sister; teaching her and mentoring her as they waged bloody campaign after bloody violent campaign against the enemy. While others had been supportive and protected her, Alessa always carried the emptiness inside since that day. _

_ "Stop," she shot her head up. The others froze as she pushed her way to the front of group. "They know we're here. They're watching us right now."_

_ The other Priests secured their weapons even tighter around them. Alessa had the gift to sense the vampires which had proven powerful when the creatures were planning an ambush or trap. Her right hand went up indicating the vampires were in the corridor to the right and the one above them. The others waited with bated breath, listening for the tell tale clawing or scratching of claws against hardened walls. _

_ Alessa slowly closed her eyes and slowly inhaled. _

_ The ground shifted around and above the group as the ungodly shrieks of the vampire legions shattered the heavy silence. A bright but brief flash blocked the vision of all as the fireball consumed the creatures that were trapped. The acrid stench of smoke and flesh flooded the tunnels as the legions were exterminated with a simple thought. _

_ "There will be more," she spoke in an ominous tone. "We move….NOW!"_

_ The Priests rushed the small enclave at the center of the hive, spying the Guardians that awaited the war party. Alessa stepped forward with hands flying closed then open. The Guardians bled from every orifice while writhing in agony along the ledges above. Alessa leapt forward then off the wall landing before the dying Guardian in a crouched position. The stance of hunter and hunted. Her dance of death was short as the blades sliced through the creature's sides spilling out the black blood that once traversed its veins. The second Guardian bellowed in agony as the life saving fluids continued rushing from its former stronger stature. The Sais tore through its head, splattering the walls and ground with bone, brain matter, and flesh. _

_ The young queen was defenseless. _

_ Her protectors were dead as were her offspring. _

_ The Priests finished off the fleshy sacks of future generations while the small girl set them on fire with her mind. The short cry caught her attention as the queen attempted to seek refuge deeper in the hive. Alessa closed her eyes and channeled her energy around the last vampire. The queen shrieked and wailed as she couldn't break free, leaving her open to the humans encircling her. _

_ Alessa didn't open her eyes until the death blow had been dealt. It was a clean shot in the center of the skull. Alessa felt her body shaking as she had never exerted so much force in one shot. The trickle of blood ran down her nose then over her upper lip. Her muscles felt as if someone had reached in and squeezed the essence from them like a cloth. Her head was pounding blocking out the concerned calls of her comrades. Her fingers clawed at the sides of her hands as the pain amplified threatening to rupture her skull if it didn't stop._

_ The surrounding hive grew dark as her body, depleted of strength, collapsed to the ground. _

Alessa opened her eyes to see the sun had been expelled beyond the Wastelands for another night.

"You saw," she whispered.

"All of it," Black Hat pulled her closer against him. "They abused your gifts."

"I didn't fully recover until three days later. I was in my chambers, unable to move or even eat. I was treading the line between consciousness and unconsciousness. I remember one of the Priestesses visiting me and tending to me. She was very warm and I could feel her compassion for me. It was genuine."

"Was it the one you dreamt of losing?"

"No," Alessa shook her head. "It was another."

Black Hat felt the hatred for the Church escalating inside of him. The more he knew of Alessa's painful past, the greater his need to destroy it became. He could sense the turmoil as though he was experiencing a rare summer storm. The winds of emotion blew strong throughout but like its counterpart, the wind would run its course before going silent once again.

"I'll be okay," she knew she was kidding herself. "I just have to focus on tonight."

Black Hat said nothing but worried about Alessa. Her iron will and steel determination were propping her up against the pain. That was the downside of their connection. He could sense her true feelings despite the image she chose to project to others. She wouldn't be able to cover her true emotions from him no matter how hard she would try.

"Who am I kidding?" She rolled around to meet his concerned look. "It's a double edged sword for me. Facing my past is like reliving it again. But every member of the clergy that falls at my feet kills that monster inside of me."

Black Hat just lay there while carding his hand through her hair.

"But don't go all overprotective on me please? I have to face this, these demons."

"You won't do it alone."

"I know," she looked up and smiled. "I have you."

"But you forget about the others."

"What do you mean?" She frowned at his words.

"The vampires," he clarified and watched her shake her head in self admonishment. "They may not speak as you and I but they know…."

"But didn't you say they didn't make good company?" She lightly teased.

"But that was before you," he leaned in softly kissing her forehead.

His eyes lifted up to the window across the room and watched as the sun dipped behind the rocky outcrops in the West.

"But it is time Lessa."

**The name of the reservation I got from part of the scientific name of the nightshade family some of which are poisonous to humans :) **


	11. Torment

_**A/N: **_I don't anyone but my OC's….though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

**Okay with the holiday weekend I didn't have my laptop so I wrote this chapter by hand when I could...**

**Warning: Someone's going to get hurt...Big Time!**

* * *

Like the other reservations, Solanum was nestled within a crag sending a strong message to those who wished to penetrate its natural barriers. Its intimidating stature challenged any and all to defeat its natural and technological defenses. Four towers loomed in the Cardinal directions each with a guard to keep order within its assigned confines. Barbed wire laced the tops of the outer walls as impressive masts of light that burned with the strength of the sun. The faux sunlight was so powerful that any vampire could easily mistake it for the real thing. Then again that was the idea…..

The sun retreated below the horizon, creating a flush of mauve, orange, and crimson that to most of the inhabitants within the Cities could only imagine like a long forgotten myth or legend. The familiars gazed towards the rigid outlines that maintained their weapons which pointed downward into a threatening position. Beneath them their masters began to stir from their slumber.

The steady rays of opaque shined against the dull grey blue flesh causing a few to wince as others scurried like roaches for the sanctuary behind them. To the guards above that was precisely what the familiars were: Roaches, pests, vermin that needed to be exterminated from the world. Fortunately they couldn't breed like their four legged kin which happened to be one of the few saving graces the humans maintained. But even the reassurance didn't mean shit to the guards who harbored the deep seated fear that escape was always possible. The rocky outcrops that surrounded them danced against the silvery aura of the full moon overhead. It cast off a false sense of beauty across the scarred landscape.

The lone figure was crouched between a set of narrow peaks, silently observing the scene below. The guards didn't move or break their positions as the familiars toiled with cutting off heads of the few chickens that called the pathetic grounds home. Reservation was too soft. To her it was a Church sanctioned Hell; one of many that poisoned the landscape. Her eyes slowly closed as her jaw clenched and fists tightly gathered the fine grains of sand that had been moments before swirling lazily within her tips. The terrible wails and shrieks refused to die inside the underground tombs and tormented her sharp hearing. Moments morphed to minutes but for her it seemed like hours. It shredded the scab over her soul allowing the wails of the dead to reignite the pain.

Her eyes shot open shimmering in fathomless resentment as her body catapulted from its hiding place. The air brushed her arms neck and face, a short lived liberation of the chains that bound her to her worldly angst with the heavy links. The slender frame somersaulted down the side of the canyon then flipped around giving her space to land with poise. Had she been human the fall would've killed her yet there she was crouched with one hand braced against the valley floor with the other behind her. Not a single twinge or sting was given an opportunity to bestow any discomfort upon her frame causing the smile to break across her lips.

Alessa rose to her feet and listened to the converging vampires some distance behind and above her. They traced her scent and allowed her voice to be their guides until her command brought them to a dead stop along the rim overhead.

_Patience…..I promise it will be worth it….._

She caught another scent among the hints of acid, excrement and decomposition. It was Black Hat. He was leading the vampires providing protection for his mate.

_I'll be alright…._

_ Doesn't matter….._

Alessa shook her head at his overbearing but knew he meant well. Sighing heavily, she padded across the shifting sands feeling soft earth being replaced by cold unforgiving iron. There was no need to adjust her stride or weight as the cables supporting the grated walkway stayed deathly still. Her grin grew wider and longer as she could sense the weight of Black Hat's careful but watchful eyes track her every movement. Her body was like water against the outer defense as the fluid movements propelled her deceptively beautiful body up the wall then to the edge.

Black Hat shot up a hand, silently reminding the vampires not to move. He knew Alessa wanted the first strike and that was something he wouldn't deny her. Before she jumped over the top of the barbed wire, Alessa's head craned around until his outline greeted her sharp vision. She could feel, smell, and see the concern that weighed him down where he stood.

_Bullets can still hurt us Lessa….._

His words resonated in her mind.

Alessa forced a confident nod for his benefit before swinging her legs up and over the sharp rusted rings of wire. Even with the solid barrier between them, Alessa continued to sense his worry, knowing it was trailing her like a dark shadow. It was something she couldn't shake off so easily as her feet took her deeper into the complex.

The familiars grinned at her arrival, showing off the soiled vile mouths as Alessa stalked through common area. Something overhead made her pause to tilt her head up and spot the three words that she had been forced to be a servant to: _Faith….Work….Security…._

Her grin twisted and mutated into an ugly sneer. Three lies that she had been a slave to all those years in her youth. The familiars crept closer towards her but Alessa didn't notice or seem to care. She wanted claw at those disgusting sentiments but practiced restraint from doing so. Her actions would betray her stealth. The familiars received an ominous warning from the rich golden fire rings before their owner spun around and continued on. The familiars backed off as the first tower grew larger and closer. The human prey's heart was drumming steadily against the cage of cartilage bone, which was teasing her hearing like the sweetest symphony ever played. His blood coursed through the unseen corridors and alleyways luring Alessa closer. Her mouth watered slightly at the simple thought of tasting his blood. Guards were fair game to her. Alessa staved off the rising bloodlust as the combination of smell and hearing combined into too great a temptation for her to continue resisting. She darted to the right and jumped onto the wall, careful of the barbed wire between her legs.

_Focus Alessandra….._

Black Hat gently reminded her. Her lips pressed tight into a thin line as her feet and legs brought her behind the man. Slender arms entrapped the surprised human, bringing the larger form down with a sweep of the other's feet. His resistance was futile but commendable. The guard jerked and flailed against his attacker but Alessa's strength and prowess was overpowering. What a pathetic human this one was! The first set of claws shredded his throat like paper beneath a knife. Blood rushed from the wounds rewarding Alessa with what she had been hungering for. Her teeth tore the flesh wider apart flooding her mouth with the crisp sweet essence. It reinvigorated her being dilating her pupils to the point of two thin gold rings laced the hollow pits. Adrenaline poured into the channels of crimson and blue making her stronger the longer she stayed latched to the throat. Blood flooded the trachea and lungs, causing the pathetic guard to drown in his own body fluids while at the same instant the life saving elixir continued to drain from his body.

The sounds of copper striking iron made Alessa jerk her head up and spray the railings with the dead man's blood. The feral stare caught the hasty panicked movement to her right and across from her. The guard continued to open fire on her, sending a deadly shower of copper all around her. Alessa snarled with fangs dripping and skin plastered with drying blood. She circumvented the spray of bullets but one grazed her left shoulder. A little bite but it was already healing. The guard felt the air being crushed from his lungs as his back crash against the platform. Before his body smacked the cold gritty surface, Alessa was ripping him apart. The other guards were on full alert by now and firing at the creature that killed two of their own. The firearms discharged which only angered Alessa. Her hand shot up and swept sharply across her chest sending the two remaining guards over the canyon and wall to the anxious clutches of the hungry vampires.

Black Hat watched for her signal and spotted Alessa flashing her hands at him. He grinned at her success but picked up the sporadic hints of her blood. She had been hit but it had not been enough to slow her down.

_I'm fine! It grazed me…._

Her voice gently confirmed as she pulled the lid open to the chambers below.

The two guards were crouched along the brightly lit hall as Alessa reached the bottom of the stairs and the entrance to the main block of cells. Their guns were aimed at the approaching figure.

The first bullet struck her in the shoulder, burying the hollowed out round deep into the muscle. Alessa jerked back but continued towards them. Her anger rising higher as she flipped the first chamber door open. The guards returned fire, hitting the hybrid in the upper thigh, side, and right bicep. Her momentum had been forced the other way as blood raced from the injuries. She staggered for the next door finding a little difficulty in lifting the iron bar. She could feel the bullets shifting in her flesh which only intensified her silent suffering. But Alessa refused to stop as they needed her.

The gunfire didn't come to rest and instead intensified as another guard appeared. How did the familiar miss this one?

Pain poured into her veins as she stumbled forward against the wall. The next bullet to strike slammed into the right side of her chest. Alessa fell back onto the damp wretched concrete. Her lungs quickly turned saturated with blood as the bullet had nicked her heart and shredded part of her lung. Breathing was laborious and taxing for Alessa as she battled to remain conscious. The vampires she had liberated were ripping the guards apart as the familiars freed the other vampires.

_Lessa!_

Alessa coughed as her back arched off the ground. Blood spewed from her lips, coating her chin and neck with the very thing that kept her alive. It was ironic how blood could also kill her. She was slowly drowning in it despite the fact they were in the Wastelands. It wasn't how she imagined it. She wasn't ready to die! The Church wasn't destroyed!

She summoned the remaining strength that hovered in the tips of her fingers, toes and mind forcing her body to turn onto the side.

"Lessa!" She heard him screaming.

_I shouldn't have gone in alone…_

_ I should've waited for him….._

_ Now he's going to be alone….._

The next cough racked her body causing Alessa to double over in agony. Her chest tightened cutting off the air that had found its way into her lungs. She vomited blood and rested the side of her face against the hot mess that fanned out beneath.

"Lessa! Lessa what did you do?"

Alessa tried to answer but the hard wheezing and bubbling sounds killed any voice that she held. Her soul screamed as he fell to his knees and cradled her in his lap. The pain she felt was shared by him.

"No, don't speak," Black Hat brushed aside the loose strands that had been dipped in blood. The scent of her blood choked his throat and nose. Alessa was slowly dying! No! There was no way he was about to let that happen!

_I'm sorry….._

Her eye expressed a tear of regret. Black Hat winced at her tender display and felt her blood slick hand cover his.

"You're not dying! I'm not losing you! No! Not like this!"

His arms collected her fragile body against his chest as the chaos stormed around them. He knew what needed to be done.

**Told you someone was going to get hurt! But do any of you really think I would let her die? Nah! She was way too much havoc to cause**


	12. Reverie

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's but I wished I owned the rest…..*sighs*

* * *

The familiar fetched a fresh bowl of water while his master retracted another bullet from the lifeless pale form on the bed. The bullet clanged against the stainless steel then tapped the tip of its sibling before coming to rest. His fingers were coated with the slippery layer of Alessa's blood which had caused Black Hat to slip on the smooth surface of the clamps that resided between his fingers. Alessa had not stirred or made a sound indicating she felt the sharp pinch invading her flesh. This worried the hybrid when no response materialized from below. Her heart was faint, fighting to keep the human side alive.

"Damn it Lessa," he muttered under his breath. With each sharp rattle of a bullet extracted, Black Hat grimaced a little deeper.

_The burning ripped through his shoulder_

The first hit had launched him backwards in the commons area. As the vampires continued feasting on the remains of the guards, the hybrid had raced towards the subterranean crypts.

_The proceeding hit shredded his thigh_

The bullet from her outer thigh had been the deepest one. The femoral artery had been spared any trauma. Even still the Queen's blood would've slowed the massive hemorrhaging that certainly would've proceeded. But the human was just that. It was still human; weak and feeble, susceptible to injury where the vampire side would absorb it.

_The next jolt came through the side_

Black Hat had been forced to retreat back as his hand clamped over the invisible bullet hole. He could sense her will slowly draining but her spirit was resilient. He willed himself up and towards the entrance just as the next shot dealt another blow.

_His right bicep snapped back causing him to yelp in surprise_

His growl was deep and menacing as his boots had thundered on the solid steps. The gunfire intensified in his perfect hearing but couldn't drown the choking bubbled sounds or the splatter of blood across the dirty walkway.

_His posture was snapped in half as the final bullet nearly split her lung in half after clipping her heart _

Black Hat had found her clinging to the remaining thread of life. Her black locks had mopped up part of her own blood while part of her face had been painted in dark dirty crimson. The shine in her golden rings had been lost; the luster dulled by the growing void of life. The removal had been taxing for him as he had to move agonizingly slow. His hands had gripped the clamp so fiercely it drained the blood from his knuckles and fingers. Only when her body had been freed of the projectile did he allow a smile to break the flat plane of his mouth. But she was not out of the woods as the human saying went.

Now they were back on the train with the new additions to the army. It raced back towards Sola Mira where they would join their kin and create a larger deadlier force. But to Black Hat that was the last thing on his mind at the current moment. His energy and thoughts were concentrated on Alessa. Her skin was pale almost blending perfectly into the sheets that masked her nude form. The dried blood was erased from sight. The wounds were abominations against the normally lightly tan kissed skin. His lips curled into a disgusted sneer as his eyes traced the shredded skin and caught glimpses of smooth fibers underneath.

"Alessa," his sorrow and angst weighed his voice down. "Why did you do it? Why did you not wait for me?"

The light rapping prevented him for continuing. The familiar treaded in with hesitation. It felt as if it was intruding on something intimate; like it shouldn't be there. Clutched fiercely in its hands was pitcher of fresh blood.

"Master," the solid lead crystal decanter was delicately placed on the stand. Without acknowledging the familiar, Black Hat gathered a glass and relieved the heavy pitcher of its contents. The thick elixir swirled and rocked against the clear confinement before settling just below the rim. Normally the presence of blood would be inviting to his senses but Black Hat simply stared down at the offering like it was something foreign to his sight.

With one hand cradling the tumbler, Black Hat eased alongside Alessa, mindful of her injuries. His free hand lifted her upper body then positioned her against his chest. His fingers tilted her chin up and gently tipped the rim to her parted lips.

"Take this for me Lessa," Black Hat kept the flow restricted to a narrow trickle, breaking every few moments to let her airway clear of blood. Choking was a real possibility and a risk he wished not to increase. Between the offerings of rejuvenating life, Black Hat lightly stroked his fingers through her raven halo or graced her deathly cool skin with his warmer caress. He wasn't sure who he was doing it for: Her or himself.

"You have to be alright, Alessandra," his voice teetered on the edge. His grip curled around her right forearm, granting his eyes a view of her wound. The crater of red and pink had decreased some but not fast enough for his liking. But he forced himself to recall one devastating observation: Most of her blood had spilled across the walkway at Solanum. The blood that pulsed in her veins was barely sufficient to maintain her body's basic functions.

Black Hat didn't resume feeding her but stole a moment with her.

"You're strong Alessandra. Don't go into that dark night. Please…..don't leave me alone. Fight! Fight the specter of Death. For me….I can't fight this alone."

He recaptured the glass and continued streaming the lifeline into her debilitated being. Time was what she was going to need. Time, blood and his care would make her whole again. Make her his Lessa. They would discuss her actions another time.

The cycle of feeding and attentiveness continued until the decanter sat vacant on the stand. Black Hat peeled away his outer clothing then slipped between cool sharp sheets. His arms assumed their resting place, avoiding the open wound that marked her side. A part of him wouldn't forgive himself if his own hand induced further silent agony. He silently cursed the guards for their destructive actions but it was futile to utter such things as they had been offered up like sheep to the waiting wolves.

* * *

Alessa's eyes shot open allowing the confused rings of gold to absorb her surroundings. The air was warm upon her bare arms as she lifted up off the emerald carpet that rolled up and down the sleepy hills.

"Where am I?" She wondered aloud. Her feet moved with its own plans, carrying Alessa around the delicate blades of grass that crushed with no resistance beneath her stride. The breeze tickled against her skin, pebbling at the light intimate contact. Alessa couldn't resist the smile cracking her lips as the bubbling stream beckoned her near. She knelt down along the sloping bank, darting her slender fingers in the slow lazy current. Bullfrogs croaked at the interruption of their solitude to which Alessa only offered up a light snort.

"Hello Alessandra."

Alessa gasped to see a pair of violet rings swirling with specks of gold peering across. The invading reflection gazed into the moving mirror of water causing Alessa to stumble back. Her feet splashed in the water's edge as she struggled to put distance between her and the stranger but it was as though her strength had been depleted, preventing her from escaping.

"I apologize for taking an unfamiliar guise but I thought this would be less…..frightening. Do you not recognize me? I called you a beautiful warrior that day at Sola Mira."

"It's you," Alessa felt her muscles freezing and cramping as the fear manipulated her body's movements.

The Queen crossed the stream, letting the tepid water splash across her ankles and calves.

"Am I dead?"

The Queen lightly laughed and shook her head. Alessa lightened up and let a silent breath of relief out.

"No Alessandra you are not dead. You are in a deep slumber, healing from the wounds you sustained at Solanum."

"That's good to know." She stretched her legs out and braced her arms behind her as the Queen came closer. Her tread was quiet and it appeared as if she was floating over the blades of jade. Her clothing waded around her toned hips and waist as the breeze continued around them. "But you don't look like what you did in the Hive."

"I can assume any form I wish when I visit in a dream. My true form is what your eyes bared witness to when you were turned."

"Why me? Why now?"

The Queen came to rest beside her allowing Alessa to take in the flawless beauty of the Queen's projected aura. Rich black hair framed a strong chin and high cheekbones. Her skin was olive kissed and clad in a teal toga or dress. Alessa wasn't certain about her selection in attire but wasn't one to question the Queen either. Alessa felt as though she were in the presence of a goddess; Athena or Ishtar or Isis perhaps!

"Because the day I tasted your blood I felt something…..special about you."

"W-What do you mean?"

The Queen offered a sympathetic smile at the young hybrid. Her human like fingers swept a few escaped strands of midnight behind her ear.

"I can see why he feels the way he does about you."

"What do you mean?" Alessa raised an eyebrow in question.

"My son has been alone for a long time Alessandra. But then he found you….."

Alessa felt her face and ears burning as the Queen started to lightly caress her face like a mother would with a startled child.

"You said I was special. What did you mean by that?"

The Queen continued her light strokes across Alessa's face as she enlightened her child.

"It's in the bonds that tie us Alessandra."

"B-But I don't understand….."

"You will my child; when the time is right you will come realize it."

"No wait please…." Alessa fervently shook her head as the Queen began to fade. Where the warmth of her fingers grazed her skin, a cold void occupied the gap.

"Go to him," her voice whispered. "He needs you….."

* * *

Black Hat absently traced the dips and ridges of her side, accidentally brushing a finger over the healing wound. His hand went rigid partially out of fear as his breath hitched in his throat. Alessa didn't respond good or bad to his incidental contact. His hand dared to go over the site, feeling the hold had sealed up a little further. His thoughts were uncertain like the shifting sands of the Wastelands, wondering when she would return.

_Please…._

His voice quietly beseeched her almost as if he had been sending a prayer. Moments passed but held the impression of hours until it seemed that someone had heard him.

_Begging is quite unbecoming of you….._

_ Lessa?_

_ Who else would it be? I know I look pathetic huh?_

_ You were shot…..Your body….._

_ Is in a sorry state I know…..But I can feel it healing….Just wait for me….._

_ I never stopped….._

_ I just need time…..Time and knowing you will be here when I wake up….._

_ I promise I will be…..I never break a promise Lessa….._

_ I know you don't…._

Black Hat sighed for the first time in a long time. Hearing her sharp tongue brought a bright smile to his face. She was going to be alright. His Lessa was going to be alright.

**TBC...**


	13. Phantasm

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's….though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

**Well it's been Hell for me with RL trying to mow me down but damn it I got this written!**

**The dream Alessa had with the Queen was a nod to a scene in the story Broken Rosary by AnimaRosa :)**

* * *

_Please just wait for me….._

Alessa's voice quietly beseeched.

Her body continued its agonizing road to becoming fully healed, eliciting a groan or grimace at random occasions. Black Hat continued tending to the bullet wounds with the familiar replenishing the water in the decanter before it ran dry. The miniature lesions had mended further, but it didn't hurt any less for her. They had ceased bleeding hours before as vein and artery were woven together like threads beneath the blanket of skin. Her heart had strengthened thanks to the healing powers of time and fresh blood. The hybrid secretly hoped she would be capable to lead in the next attack. He was confident she would be able to lead the vampires.

"Master," the familiar bowed slightly in respect. "We are nearing the next town."

Black Hat peered up from beneath the brim of his hat and noticed the sun was retreating behind the shield of the outcrops and cliffs.

"Damn it," he growled. "She isn't even awake."

His growl wasn't towards her but towards the now dead humans that riddled her with the sharp edged projectiles. He silently cursed the Church as what he perceived as another blow against him. Alessa wouldn't lead this attack but there were other towns, settlements, and Church outposts that were scattered like fat pigs waiting to be lead to slaughter. But still it didn't alleviate the despondent sensations that trickled through his veins. He wanted to watch her seductive will draped over her prey like a veil before tearing their throats wide open like the perfect predator that she was and lathering in the sweet rewards. Tonight he would have to leave her behind. He didn't want to leave her behind but the others needed to feed. Vengeance needed to be doled out.

Black Hat stayed perched on the edge of the bed, feathering his fingers through the strands of midnight. Her bicep lay exposed with the healing wound pointing upward in a mocking gesture towards the hybrid.

_Stop that sulking would ya? It's just a flesh wound…._

Her voice chided him in his mind.

_They hurt you…._

_ And I'm healing. You can shed blood without me this one time. _

_ It won't feel the same….._

_ There you go pouting again…._

_ I'm sorry Lessa…._

_ It's alright….._Her voice was a quiet sigh. _I know you're angry and hurt…..Believe me I'm more pissed off! Bastards almost tore my heart in half!_

_ When you are well, we will talk about this…._

_ I'm not a kid Alexander! I just let my old instincts get the better of me that's all…._

_ Doesn't matter…..Don't argue with me about this Alessandra._

_ Fine….._He heard the deep thundering in her tone and imagined the scrunching expression that would line her face.

_Go…..Go have fun and drain a few humans dry for me would ya?_

_ I shall do better! _

_ You're gonna bring me back a play toy? _Hope laced her voice. Black Hat chuckled at her humorous inquiry. Even in unconsciousness Alessa retained a spark of youthful vigor in her soul.

_No, Alessandra, it will be nourishment. Sorry to dash your hopes my dear. _

_ Damn it….._She feigned dismay.

_ When you are well I will be your "play toy" as you prefer to say…_

_ Awww…..You're such a gentleman! What would I do without you?_

Black Hat cringed at her question. He didn't want to think what could've been had they not crossed paths. The boards beneath his feet groaned and tugged as the train rolled to a complete stop. Jordan was more of a collection of dwellings than actual settlement as its former glory had been stolen away like the vitality of youth was stripped from a man over time. The supply lines had become fewer and fewer forcing residents to cross over between rusted skyscrapers and buildings of cities whose names were long forgotten by the tongues of man until reaching Amida two days away. The supply team had headed out the night before leaving the rest behind.

The hybrid leaned over giving his sleeping Alessa a soft kiss to her still lips before donning his duster and assuming charge of the night ahead.

* * *

The Priests came to a gradual stop inside the mission. The two men and one woman dismounted their bikes and scouted the outer perimeter. Their ears and eyes scanned the hostile environment that surrounded them like enemy soldiers. While the vampire menace had been quelled, the threat of thieves and bandits were still very real out in the Wastelands. Packs of these vagabonds and paupers would roam the Wastelands, scavenging like vultures and preying upon the unsuspecting. The Church could've cared less about those outside the walls of Cathedral City but Orleas had handed this mission down personally.

Their initial surveillance turned up nothing suspicious so the trio continued inside the residence that housed the missionaries and Father Markus. The Priestess entered first with weapon secure between her hands. She listened with intent for the slightest creak or groan that could betray the presence of an intruder. They remained frozen like reliquaries in a shrine until she lifted her hand up and waved her fingers in a gesture of all clear.

The lighting was on allowing them to gather a primary impression of the parlor and entrance way. Bibles were still stacked on the long table beside the stairwell while paintings were hung with care. If this had been bandits, the bibles and paintings would've been stolen for the bibles were outlined on the cover with pure gold. Strange.

She treaded the heavy solid stairs not once eliciting a sound from the treads. Years of training and precise coordination granted her stealth. The walls were coated in simple tan; well at least until she reached the landing. Her eyes widened slightly as the light tan morphed into dark blood red wallpaper with old fashioned lighting hanging above. It was a stark contrast to the plain humble aura downstairs. Surely this was not the residence of the pious! Her feet carried her deeper down the corridor until arriving upon the first door. Her fingers trembled slightly to which she held no explanation for. She curled them into her palm clenching the tendons and muscle for a moment then uncurled the steadier digits and grasped the doorknob.

The brass handle twisted open and she allowed the door to drift open under its own weight. What awaited her eyes on the other side only forced them wider until they teetered on falling out of their sockets.

* * *

The familiar had been put in charge to watch over Alessa until the return of his master. The lifeless rings gazed across the room at the sleeping form between the blankets, keeping disciplined in his orders. His eyes had bared witness to the wrath that visited those who failed the one they called Master. This was no exception; no, wait, it was a matter of his own existence.

"Nooooooo," the heavy groan brushed through her lips.

The bluish grey head lifted at the sound.

"Please…"

Concern furrowed the familiar's face as Alessa scooted across the bed, eyes still tightly shut. Her arms shot out as though she was throwing distance between herself and an unseen foe.

_The hand belted Alessa across the face nearly cracking several teeth from the force of the blow. Blood trickled from her bottom lip dabbing the tip of her tongue with sharp hints of iron. The inner part of the cheek ached with a dull roar as the clergyman roughly grabbed her chin expelling more blood from the cut. He leaned in with a dark predatory glint as his tongue lapped the sweet honey with slow tiny stabs. _

_ "You will not do that again."_

_ She struggled with the motions of a frantic deer, kicking and flinging her limbs in the hopes of escape. Her efforts were ripped apart with a second blow to the other side of her face. _

_ "You defy me again! It is time to show you where your place is!" He exploded into a violent rage, hurling the teenage girl across the room. The stone wall battered her body as delicate bone and flesh smacked against cold damp stone. Her right arm cracked just below the wrist as it smacked the protruding jut of rock. Alessa couldn't breathe as fear and panic froze her throat and lungs. She cried out in agony as the throbbing and swelling dominated her thoughts. _

_ "Now you will learn the meaning of pain."_

_ Alessa crawled across the floor with her good hand dragging the weight of her body. The skin around her thighs stung with the fury of the flames of Hell. Her body trembled as adrenaline pumped hard into her veins, offering little relief from her plight. Superficial scratches clawed her calves and torso. Rough calloused hands fisted Alessa's raven locks, forcing her upright, ignorant of her suffering. Her good hand slashed at the air only to earn a cruel laugh from her captor. The metal cuffs clasped around her wrists keeping Alessa on her feet. The clergyman curled his fingers slowly around the whip, admiring the beauty and craftsmanship of the device. The leather was soft and worn from loving use over the years. Many had fallen to it with most screaming for mercy. _

_ She would learn the meaning of submission by his hand. _

_ It was beautiful, deadly, and wielded power….Power that his hand would possess….._

_ "You will submit to me…."_

_ He couldn't see the steady streaks of tears that were cast down upon her cheeks and chin. His fingers slowly feathered down the smooth plane of skin and bone. It was his canvas and he was the artist. She would be beautiful once he was done. His masterpiece. _

_ The crack across her spine was sharp and deep as flesh and muscle were ripped apart. Blood painted the light pale surface, bringing forth his vision to life. Alessa's screams were inhuman, animal like if someone was to walk by the wooden door. _

_ "That's it," he snarled with lust. "Your cries are heavenly upon my ears."_

_ The second and third cracks parted more open for him to feast upon. _

_ "So beautiful you are…."_

_ The whip fluttered to his feet. Alessa was paralyzed from fear and pain; numb from the torment at the hands of a man of God. Her head had dropped now; shame and sorrow had become her sole companions. _

_ "I'm not through with you yet," the sudden snap of her neck upright propelled her vision parallel to his. Alessa quickly realized he was fully nude before her. The fully erect member curled up to the top of the thick nest of curls. _

_ "Please…..Noooooo….." She weakly shook her head. He ignored her feeble pleas as his strong hands locked her legs around waist. Alessa was too weak to fight back as the intrusive thickness tore through her body. The smacking of his hips against hers turned harder and faster as he cruelly fucked her ushering the unwilling teen's body over he edge. _

_ "So good….." he purred in her ear. Alessa sobbed as her body shuddered around him. She hated her body for it! She loathed the way it reacted like a whore's body, granting her tormentors what sick animal desire they needed sated. He was just like the others. _

_ He thrusted several more times before the alleviation rushed from head to toe. He bit down on his lower lip, savoring the sensations of release. The thick hot ropes spilled inside causing him to sigh like lovesick girl. His mouth sought hers, crushing forcefully against the tear slick lips. It was domineering and rough, making Alessa coil back. She snapped her head back angering the man. His eyes seethed with hatred, staying focused on her equally hateful stare. _

_ Without saying a word his hand went up and crushed the site where her forearm had fractured. Alessa couldn't suppress the wailing from erupting into the air around them. _

_ "That's better," he snarled through the darkness. _

"NO!" Alessa thrashed in the bed, kicking at the sheets and tossing the pillows at random. The familiar couldn't keep her still as her strength surpassed his own. Alessa couldn't break free from the smothering grip of the night terror.

"What is going on here?"

Black Hat stormed through the door. The familiar backed off as the hybrid pinned the struggling woman into the mattress, keeping her down as she worked through her hellish tribulation.

"Master….."

"It's happening again!" He shouted. "I never should've left her alone!"

_Alessandra….._

_ Alessa opened her eyes…._

_ I'm here….._

_ She sat up and realized she was at the same stream she had seen the Queen. The clergyman had been vanquished along with the chamber of horrors that haunted her vision. _

_ Wake up….._

_ Alessa rose and scanned the waves of tallgrass swaying lazily in the wind. She blinked her eyes and looked down at herself. Gone were the visual cues of her old life. _

_ I kept my promise….._

_ She tilted her head up and slowly slid her eyes closed. Her arms lifted up as though she was preparing to embrace the sun above, feeling the air dance around her. _

"Alessa!"

Alessa shot up panting hard and shallow. Beads of sweat pebbled her skin appearing like raindrops against the earth.

"Lessa," she felt the strong familiar arms lock around her. "I knew I shouldn't have left you here."

She swallowed down the solid lump in her throat as it closed around itself. Her face buried into his shoulder, drenching her senses in the musky scent that coated him.

"It was another one wasn't it?" Her voice squeaked like a young child's.

"Yes," he begrudgingly admitted.

"Don't punish him," she pleaded quietly. "He didn't know….."

Alessa had picked up on his anger towards the familiar.

"I won't," she was right. The familiar knew no better. He did what he could. "But you need to rest. I can feel your body is drained."

"These nightmares are killing me….."

"Quiet," he pressed a finger to her lips. "We will not discuss this matter anymore tonight. Feed then bathe."

"You going to join me?" A weak smile cracked the frown on her lips.

"Do you want me to?"

"It would make me feel better knowing I have you."

"Alright."

"Tomorrow I want to train again. I need to keep this from devouring me."

"Of course," he kissed her forehead then motioned for the familiar to fetch the captive he brought back. The light of fear was vanquished from the creature's eyes as Alessa had come to his defense. He would forever be grateful to her for that. His eyes caught hers and for a moment they exchanged a look of understanding.

**Sorry about the late update...Forgiveness peeps?**


	14. Confession

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's…..though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*

**Oh holy hell! I totally fell off the rails and got brain locked on this...But this one has slight angst, confessions, and sexy goodness! Oh and if I become a target of this purge I will not go down without a fight! I have heard it was those idiots at Critics United that are behind this. Well there are more of us than there are of them!**

"How are you feeling?"

Alessa peered over the heavy mug and across the room as Black Hat approached. His eyes continued to house the concern that unfortunately attached to him like a leech in recent days.

"Better," she mumbled with the rim between her lips. "I didn't have any nightmares last night."

"Good," he nodded shortly.

"I know you're worried; about me….."

"Is it not my right to be such?" His face darkened in to a deep frown.

"It is your right. These terrors, these nightmares have plagued me since I fled Cathedral City. I didn't sleep well some nights and others I woke up to find myself in the same closet you found me in only I was in an attack stance and gripping my Sais so tight my hands had been void of all sensation."

Alessa paused and took another long drink before continuing.

"Honestly I never told anyone these things…..Not even…"

She stopped before saying Hicks' name out loud. "Well it doesn't matter now."

"Why do you say such a thing Lessa? Of course this matters now! You've opened up, sharing the deep wounds that you've been forced to carry all this time."

"I know," she subconsciously licked her lips. "But I also know that being with you has been the push I needed to open up."

Black Hat nodded but couldn't help to let a tiny smile escape.

"I'm sorry," she blurted.

"For what?" He tilted his head towards her.

"Taking off like I did at Solanum. I just…." Alessa's chest heaved as her shoulders dropped in a display of guilt.

"Alessandra," Black Hat coupled the mug with his hands and placed it on the stand. "We can discuss this until you are better."

"No," she shook her head. "Let's talk about this now…..please?"

"Alright," he acquiesced.

"I know what I did was stupid and I nearly got killed. I know you're upset with me for it."

"I am," the hybrid was quick to answer. Perhaps he was too quick…..

"So whatever you have to say to me do it. Yell, scream, purge…Get it off your chest. I'm prepared to take it."

Alessa put on her bravest front, ready to accept whatever the consequences were. It couldn't be any worse than what the Church had done to her!

_You really believe I would strike you?_

Alessa opened her eyes to see the mournful expression haunting his beautiful amber rings.

_Whatever the punishment is I am prepared to accept it…._

_ Punishment? Alessandra I would never dare lay a hand on you in malice…._

_ I'm sorry…..Old habits die hard huh?_

The sad smile crossed her lips. Black Hat winced at her words. Even now she anticipated a violent retaliation from him for her disobedience. No! No she had to see!

"Alessandra," Black Hat gathered her in his arms and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I would never harm you. I would die first before striking you! How could I hurt the one I love?"

Alessa froze and slowly lifted her head towards him.

"Y-You love me?" She choked on her words and the tears that gathered in her eyes.

"Yes." Alessa felt the strong calloused hand tenderly slip between the strands of black. "I realized it after you were shot and when I took care of you. It was then I felt it…."

_And I damn near fucked it up with my stupidity! _

"How stupid I was! I almost hurt the one person who….." Alessa bolted up and started for the door but the overpowering form of her mate blocked the way.

"No," he shook his head. "No running away. Now go, sit back down."

Alessa sighed and sat back down on the bed. Her fingers fidgeted uneasily as she battled the guilt slipping further through her body.

"I shouldn't have tried to do that."

"I can see why you reacted the way you did Lessa. Your whole life was nothing but pain and angst. To know the touch of love…."

"Is something totally new to me," she whispered. "And I tried running from it."

Alessa thought she had known real love with Hicks and perhaps she did. But her heart had been shattered that day and any pieces that had survived turned as hard as the outcrops of the Wastelands.

_"What the fuck is going on?"_

_ Alessa stood in the doorway of the bedroom. Her hands were curled fiercely around the frame and knob turning the joints bone white. Her heart was in her throat as her eyes regrettably spied the truth before her. _

_ "Alessa….." Hicks leapt from the bed clothed only in his boxers. Lucy darted beneath the covers, avoiding the hateful daggers of ice. Shock lined his handsome features as the older woman hovered with malice in her eyes. _

_ "Just stop right there! I do not want to hear whatever lies spill from your lips Hicks! Now I see why you've been staying away from me…."_

_ "Wait, it's not like that…."_

_ "It's not like that! Then what in the FUCK do you call this? You're practically naked in BED with HER!"_

_ Alessa pointed a slender finger at the cowering figure beneath the heavy comforter. _

_ "You know what? I don't want to hear it! You'll just lie to me."_

_ Alessa's lips trembled as the tears streamed down her flush tinged cheeks. Her hands shook against the door as she took two steps back from the man she had loved. Her eyes darted to the bed where only the week prior she had been sleeping in his arms. The warmth of his body was still fresh in her mind as the leathery scent that dabbed at his skin. Alessa shook her head with disgust as the harsh reality erupted. _

_ "I gave you everything…." She whispered. Alessa felt as if she had been tossed aside like trash. Perhaps that was all she had been her life: To be used by others then tossed aside into the cold. Why did she expect something different with him? _

_ "Bastard," she spat in his face then fled the house. _

"He hurt me."

Alessa sighed at her confession. "I mean I walked in and found them like that."

"Bastard indeed," Black Hat snarled. "He broke your heart."

"It's why I stayed where I did when I left the cities. Solitude didn't hurt me; it kept me alive."

"But you were alone."

"Of course but I was better off alone then suffering like I had. I thrived out there until…"

Alessa leaned over grappling her arms around his waist. The slender arms strengthened their hold as a child would wrap around a parent's waist in time of need. Her head rested against his shoulder as her eyes slowly shut. "You found me and now I can feel that heaviness and burden lifting. You did that."

"No, Lessa, you did that yourself."

"Well you helped. You gave me a reason to face the demons of the Church; to exterminate the scourge. I promise I won't take off like a reckless teenager again."

"I know you won't. You always keep your promises."

"So you love me huh?" Her head lifted up until two sets amber rings were mirror images of the other.

"I just don't love you Alessandra…..I'm in love with you. And I know if you're not ready to say it I understand!"

Alessa's mouth dropped into a small circle as the shock of his declaration.

"But how do you know? We haven't been together….." She was silenced by the pressure of his mouth pressing tightly with hers. Alessa felt herself melting in his arms as she pushed forward keeping the connection between them as their bodies tumbled back against the crumpled bedding. Alessa eagerly parted her mouth meeting the heated wetness of his tongue. The soft sighs only encouraged him further. The smaller soft muscle was gently coaxed out by the powerful sensual dance of the larger. His lips suckled on it suggestively, guiding his tongue across the flat plane of saliva and flesh. The quiet moans rippled from her throat as her hands slipped up and under the loose fitting shirt, anxious to touch the rippled chiseled flesh beneath.

The feathery touches of his lover's hands across the subtle rifts and valleys of his body caused him to moan helplessly as the sweet manipulations of skin and nail continued along the hemline of his pants. His head tilted back as the golden rings rolled up in unbridled lust. Her lips severed the heated connection between them earning a small grunt of protest from him.

Alessa dipped her head down and brushed her lips across the chords of tendons that flexed against her caress. His wandering hands jerked the vest off her shoulders, waiting patiently for the slender arms to slip away. Not a second could pass before the tight olive shirt was being lifted up and over then discarded without a second look.

He lowered her back on the bed, taking a moment to gaze at the beautiful creature sprawled out below. The light returned to the rich citrine hues, something he had secretly missed. Her lips had softened into a subtle smile with canines peeking from the bottom of her lip; it was an honest smile of trust and adoration. The dark halo framed her strong face, the stunning opposite of the Church's idol. If he had to breathe the very air would've been ripped from his lungs. Black Hat started to tear at the leather straps fastened on his hand but Alessa snatched his wrist and pulled it away.

"Don't," her voice purred in a low seductive manner as she pulled herself up. "Leave them on…."

Black Hat simply smirked as her fingers fisted the front of his shirt ripping the buttons apart. They flew across the room bouncing off the walls and stand but neither one paid heed. Alessa beckoned him down against her with her legs climbing along his outer thighs. The delicious friction created between their bodies stirred the heat growing in the depths of her body, hinting her skin with a faint glow of flush. It was growing harder to keep this stead but painful pace but she didn't want to rush it but the hard grinding of their hips together threatened to hurl both into a sexual frenzy of flesh and blood.

"I want to show you how much I love you," he captured her mouth devouring the swollen lips with a domineering power. Alessa relented but didn't cease her hungry exploration of his body. She grinned into the hybrid's mouth as her hands tore the zipper and button open. The abrupt hard jerks of her wrists pried the faded material apart. Black Hat growled with pleasure at the soft nimble hand slipped down inside, gripping the rigid flesh of his cock. Her thumb massaged the weeping slit of the head, smearing the digit and velvet surface with the beads of precome.

"Lessa…." Black Hat bucked his hips against her hand.

"You like that? You like it when I'm stroking you like this?"

"No….I….Love….It….Please….More…."

Alessa nipped at his ear and neck and pumped her hand faster and harder feeling the solid rock member twitching in her grip. If the sinful but blissful strokes continued he would lose all control right then and there! But the sensations of her skin against him were pure bliss. She watched as the worn faded pants were pushed down her lover's hips and legs until he was naked from the waist down. Her eyes traveled down the solid thighs and calves which served in inflame the lust and need growing inside of her. The scent of their aroused states clung to their skin and air, feeding the frenzy that was simmering beneath the surface.

"Lessa…." The guttural growl rumbled in his throat. He was getting close…..so close….

Alessa snapped from her trance as her hand was tugged away from his weeping cock. Her mate was panting hard as he struggled to maintain control over his body.

"Alexander," she caressed his cheek and lightly kissed his lips.

"Lessa…..Please…."

She didn't need to ask and sprawled back on the bed with hips elevated off the mattress. The need in his eyes burned like a raging fire as his hands teasingly tugged the denim down. The cool air greeted the smooth hot folds, causing her to hiss and arch her back even higher.

"I love how you feel," he whispered dangerously in her ear. Two calloused fingers gingerly pushed on the buried jewel of nerve and flesh, causing Alessa to thrash her hips against the welcomed intrusion. His thumb slowly massaged the receptive mound as his fingers penetrated between her legs and into the hot sticky channel. The very tips curled against the precious heat, sending jolts of electricity through Alessa's body. The hard pants and gasps made him grin wickedly as she fucked herself on his hand with forceful hungry thrusts. The feeling of being stroked and manipulated in such a sensual intimate manner was almost more than she could take.

"So beautiful," he whispered in her ear. Alessa couldn't speak as the coiling in her body tightened to the brink, ready to release the tension. Her mouth was open but only pants and gasps were audible. Her inner thighs quivered and closed together as the powerful orgasm ripped through her being.

"Shhhh," he covered her mouth with his but continued his teasing and touching between her legs. Her muscles clamped around his fingers, pulsing around him with the sweet honey of her release creating a quiet wet sound as quickened the pace. Black Hat dipped his head down and flickered his tongue between the damp folds, sighing as he imbibed her ambrosia. Nothing could describe what he experiencing, tasting, or feeling at that instant. His Lessa, so open, so vulnerable, and so trusting as she spread her legs wide apart. His mouth was pure heaven as it continued tracing along her most intimate parts. The screams coming from above only encouraged him on as he pried deeper into her body. The faint tickle of his canines against sensitive skin only enhanced her pleasure which only excited the hybrid even more. His cock twitched and wept beads of pearl as he couldn't stand it any longer!

He slowly withdrew but not before tenderly kissing the protruding mound. Her taste was intoxicating; like a powerful drug that refused to relinquish its hold over his mind body and soul. But he would gladly succumb to it every time.

Alessa swallowed hard as she felt her body throbbing with the pleasurable ache. Her eyes fluttered open and peered through glazed over rings as he scooped her up in his arms and slowly eased inside. The thick pressure was greeted with the tight but hot wet glove embracing him. He pushed further inside until he was finally balls deep, unable to go any further.

"Just relax my love," he softly cooed in her ear and gently slid back then thrusted in. His mouth raced over her throat, nipping and kissing at the sweat laced skin. Alessa tilted her head to one side and closed her eyes, letting her will fall into his hands. His hips rocked and ground against her, sending shivers of delight down her spine. Alessa shuddered beneath him as the head of her lover's cock hit and rub against that sweet spot inside. She was wetter than before as she bucked her hips, meeting his in steady but deep thrusts.

"Again….please….." she beseeched him. Black Hat grinned at her plea and picked up his thrusts, watching as her face twisted and contorted in ecstasy. He could feel her body constricting around him as she teetered on the edge.

"That's it Lessa," he kissed her collarbone and top of her shoulder. "I wanna feel you…."

Alessa flung her head back and let out an ear piercing scream as her body convulsed and shuddered. Her eyes squeezed shut releasing liquid diamonds from her eyes. Black Hat quickly kissed them away. Her nails raked down his back with thin lines of blood trailing behind them adding to the heavy shroud of sex adrenaline and sweat that blanketed them. Black Hat groaned with satisfaction as she rode out another hard but mind blowing orgasm. Her essence bled into his, letting him experience the awesome power of her body's release. It was if his mind and body were adrift a veil of warmth that wrapped around him as his being was attacked by a million sensations of ecstasy with a rush of energy flowing through his veins.

"Yes Lessa…." He was slamming his hips harder against her as his own release was building. The strain in his voice amplified as his throat thundered with deep growls. Alessa smiled knowingly and titled her head to one side, exposing the slender pretty throat for him. Black Hat felt his gums tingle as the offering called out to his instinct.

The ivory fangs pierced the tender shoulder but Alessa didn't cry in pain. Instead her hands carded through his hair as he feasted upon her blood. The springs of crimson were captured with his lips and tongue, refusing to let a single drop spill.

_Lessa…..I-I_

_ Let it go Alexander…._

She gasped as the viscous ropes spilled into her body. The stoic arms and legs trembled as his body succumbed to its own climax. His vision went bright with a blinding white before the dark rings spotted his sight. Alessa felt it coursing through her veins and nerves forcing a tiny whimper from her lips. Her arms and legs instantly latched around him, keeping them locked together as one as he continued to shudder against her. Alessa ran her hand soothingly up and down his back then gently kneaded his lower back. It had a calming effect upon him as she sensed he was on the descent from his sexual high. He carefully released his hold upon her, cleaning the wounds before pulling back.

Before saying anything, he rolled onto his side, taking the smaller hybrid with him. The pair were now face to face, on their sides on the bed. Neither one said anything but rather were content looking deep into the other's eyes. She linked her hands with his, kissing the tops of each. Black Hat couldn't but help to notice how beautiful she was, lying there naked and basking in the afterglow. Her normally tame locks were now unruly and in disarray. Her skin dabbed with beads of sweat.

Alessa watched as he took one wrist in both of his hands and began kissing the strong but slender limb.

"You just can't get enough of me huh?"

"Never," he muttered.

"Good," she smiled lazily. Alessa caught the chaotic strands of his hair sticking up and out. She suppressed a small laugh and enjoyed the tender attention showered upon her. A yawn escaped her lips as she felt exhausted.

"Tired already?" Black Hat raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Yeah," she shrugged her shoulders. "You wore me out."

"As you wore me out," Alessa laughed at his sentiment. She scooted across the bed until she was completely emerged in his embrace. Alessa wanted to be closer to him, especially now in light of his confession. Her arms locked as tightly as possible, afraid to let him go. Black Hat felt the ferocity in her hold but said nothing and instead ran his hand up and down the right plane of her back, feeling the raised trails that were graphic reminders of her enslavement.

"How much longer to Sola Mira?"

"Another few days and we will rest there."

"Sounds good to me," she wanted to ask the Queen she meant in her dream. Alessa felt her eyes grow heavy then she was asleep. Black Hat kissed the top of her sweat drenched locks before closing his eyes and joining his mate in the lull of slumber. He would wait patiently until she was ready to tell him. No need to rush her as he knew she was still healing from the wounds of the past.

**I hope everyone liked the extra long chapter!**


	15. Reunion

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's…

**OH HOLY HELL! I forgot about Black Hat & Alessa! Oh dear…Forgiveness please?!**

The train rolled to a stop. Sola Mira glowed in the distance but it was dusk and the vampires could find their way towards the Hive. Alessa swung open the door with little effort allowing the first group to rush across the Wasteland towards their new home. The Queen was calling out to them, guiding the latest generation towards the majestic catacombs. The familiars had liberated the remaining cars watching as their masters clamored in a chaotic mass, like children running to their parents calling out their names in the dark. For Alessa it was a beautiful vision come to life.

She was anxious to speak to the Queen about what she had said in the dream.

_It's the ties that bind us….._

The young hybrid needed to know. Her curiosity growing with each passing day until it bordered on intolerable.

"Is something wrong?"

Black Hat came up behind her running his hands up and down her arms.

"Nothing is wrong," she shrugged. "It's more of a need."

"A need for what Lessa?" She could tell he was frowning behind her.

"The Queen told me something in my dreams when I was recovering from Solanum. She said I was special but when I asked what she meant the Queen was evasive. All she would say to me was it was in the ties that bind us. What could she have been implying?"

"The Queen wouldn't come to your dreams and speak unless it was something of importance."

"Which is why I want to speak with her once we get to the Hive," she felt better getting that off her chest.

"You know I didn't get to say good bye to my mother," Alessa's head hung down blocking the sight of her tears.

"What do you mean Lessa?" Black Hat spun around gripping her chin in his hand.

"When those….._Priests…._came for me, there wasn't enough time for one embrace or kiss on the cheek. I had refused to go with them. My mother tried stopping them but there were two of them. I never saw her after that. I never saw home again."

Alessa started for Sola Mira, feeling her old wounds ripping open all over again. She hoped the Queen could offer answers. Answers that she was desperately seeking. Black Hat caught up slipping his arm around her waist as a show of support.

"I just want to know if she is alright. I know it's hard for you understand but….."

"No," Black Hat shook his head. "Your mother had given you life, she loved you. She was an innocent. Her only offense was trying to protect you."

"If those bastards did anything to her…."

"When we take the Cities we will search for her. They will pay for any harm that has been brought down upon her."

They walked alone in silence as overhead the stars illuminated the endless black canvas of night. Alessa looked up to see Orion and the Drinking Gourd overhead. She used to dream of seeing the stars with her eyes and not through pictures or drawings. The Cities had polluted the gift of Nature, perverting it with the toxic waste of their excesses. Out here the air was crisp and free of impurities. She wished her mother could witness the beauty as she was now. The Wastelands did not deserve the name the humans had labeled it with. That was their twisted view on the outside world, away from the crowded filth that supposedly offered protection from the evils out here. No, the real evils were behind the walls, protecting their home from the vile touch of humans.

"I know you miss your mother Lessa but please don't despair."

Alessa stopped but kept her sight straight ahead at Sola Mira.

"The Queen knows you hurt and suffer. Please, let her help you heal."

_Don't shut me out….._

She tilted her head at angle, catching the worried expression behind the citrine rings.

_I won't but it's hard not knowing._

"That is always the worst. I never learned the fate of my own kin after I was taken. But I was taken later in life."

"Hurts no matter what age one is. Some were taken at younger ages while others were taken at older times."

"Yes, I know," Alessa nodded lightly. "I was the youngest who possessed those abilities that surpassed the others. We were small in number. We didn't travel with the same groups but I had traveled with them all in the years I was a soldier. I watched so many fall….."

"Shhhh," Black Hat shushed her. "We're almost home."

Alessa felt her lips shake then lift into a trembling smile. She had not known a real home since she was taken from her mother. The dirty bare apartment in the Cities had been nothing more than a place to rest and gather her thoughts between the bloody Hell of the Wars. She had felt empty and alone. Having to grow up so fast to fight a war that would benefit the few instead of the many ground her mind body and soul, leaving behind a bitter resentful girl of 16.

It had been after the war was declared a victory that Alessa had been forced into the personal hell that had been her confinement and sexual slavery for the clergy.

Shaking her mind of the gnawing nightmares and dreamscapes, Alessa began her ascent of the Hive. The soles of her boots shattered fragment bone, crushing thicker plates of human skulls and femurs that jutted from the landscape causing her to secretly hope it was the bones of long forgotten enemies that she decimated beneath her. Her eyes lay witness to inanimate objects that were molded into the structure's outer barriers: The soiled crumpled leg of a doll to her right just out of reach. A pocket watch chain was woven in the soil and hardened excrement felt the touch of her cool fingers as they passed by.

The last of the vampires had long since penetrated the depths of the Hive leaving the hybrids to join them. Alessa hoisted her legs over in tandem landing on her feet in a partial crouch. Black Hat was quickly beside her and together they descended into corridor.

Their boots sunk into the fresh layers of excrement and soil, a sign of encouragement to them both.

"They've been building more since I was here."

Alessa glanced up then to the sides taking in the fresh cement of bone, rock, gravel, and additional layers of excrement. When she was a human the sight had been one that she would consider frightening and chilling but now it was beautiful. They were thriving away from the eyes of the humans; prospering under the Queen in their newfound freedom.

"How large will it be?"

"There is no limit to the size of the Hive," Black Hat spoke with awe in his voice. "They can build greater and grander hives than this."

"Really? I though Sola Mira was the largest."

Black Hat simply chuckled at her innocent presumption.

"In centuries past, vampires had amassed hives that overshadowed this one. Some could be seen for miles from any direction. But those were destroyed in the centuries of war with the humans."

The joy in his voice dropped to hollow sorrow.

"That will not happen again." Alessa growled feeling her ribs rattling against her lungs. "It will be the humans to pay."

"Of course," he smiled thinly.

The narrow corridor suddenly dropped and emerged into the towering catacombs of caves, tunnels that surrounded the main chamber. The floor was still many stories down while the top was nearly as high as some of the ruins that she had observed in her youth. The vampires had begun to emerge from the countless layers, having heard and caught their scents. Alessa was no longer afraid of them. The Queen's blood pumped through her veins, making her one of them. The quiet clicks and purr like sounds resonated off the walls and rocky outcrops, playing perfectly off the surfaces.

Alessa felt at ease as they were greeted like returning heroes from battle. But then again they were returning from battle; a hard fought battle that had almost resulted in Alessa's death.

"She's here," Black Hat heard Alessa whisper. He was reminded of a child that could sense a parent as they came home. The Queen's blood raced faster through their bodies, pulling them towards their creator and mother.

Alessa leapt off the ledge in a diver's pose; her arms were outstretched to her sides as the rush of cold but stagnant air whipped around her face neck and hands. The vampires fell silent as their human kin dropped dead center to the floor of the Hive. Her body tucked up into a tight ball, hurling her to the flat hard ground blow. At the last second she flattened out then bent her knees, letting the force of the landing become absorbed in her now iron like joints. Alessa felt the soles of her boots slam the earth followed by the short but painful repercussions. Her lungs expelled the air out as the wave rushed from foot to head leaving behind a slightly trembling form.

"Ouch," she grimaced. Her knees cracked at the alleviation of pressure but it quickly subsided once Alessa was straight.

"Lessa," Black Hat sighed. He had chosen the less daring route going through the maze of tunnels instead of Alessa's way.

"I'm still testing my limits," she shrugged.

"I heard your body's reaction."

"And I healed." She pouted with her hands planted on her hips.

Before he could speak, a voice filled both their minds.

_You have returned….._

The Queen emerged from her resting place, pleased to see the hybrids. She approached Alessa first, taking the young hybrid's chin into a curled claw. Alessa closed her eyes and allowed the strong talon stroke her cheek and neck. The young hybrid subconsciously pressed against the embrace. Her hollow depths went to Black Hat acknowledging his presence. His lips turned up into a warm salutation knowing she was pleased to see them both.

_My children….._

Alessa carefully brought a hand up to the Queen, resting it over the soft cool flesh. The Queen quietly purred as Alessa smiled in return.

_You have healed…..I am glad you are safe….._

Alessa relished in the Queen's warm reception as subtle warm flooded her body. Though she was not her birth mother, the Queen had started to assume a motherly role for Alessa. The matriarch vampire had come to her when she was in need, giving her reason to not give up. She had brought Alessa into the pack, choosing her to receive the kiss of immortality. In her eyes the Queen and the vampires were her family now. Black Hat felt her relax as the Queen slipped a claw across her face in one careful stroke before going to him. The imposing figure showed the same affections for him as Alessa had been given.

_She is stronger now….._

"She wields a great determination to live. Her soul is special."

The Queen nodded, agreeing with his choice of words. Indeed her spirit had changed after being embraced.

_You are weary from traveling such a great distance….._

_ Go, rest…_

Alessa watched as the Queen retreated into the recesses of the Hive, leaving her and Black Hat alone in the cavern. The vampires too had melted away, resting and gathering their strength as breeding a new army would require substantial energy and time. But time was of no concern to her, at least not now.

"Lessa," Alessa felt the leather clad hand slip into hers. "Come we should rest."

"That sounds perfect. Where will we stay? The Hive isn't built for hybrids."

"If you would like we could retire to the train."

"No, we should stay here. I think the Queen wants us to stay."

"Of course," he acquiesced.

* * *

Black Had led her into a tunnel that veered away from the main cavern of the Hive. She looked around at the ceiling and floor observing the worn dry texture. This was an older part of the Hive. How old was this? Hundreds? Thousands? The bone and rock that protruded from the earth was dark and opaque, as though repetitive cycles of time and wear developed the ancient mask which they wore.

"This part of the Hive is the oldest. When the army I started grew too large for it to sustain they abandoned it for the large part seen from the surface."

"How old is it?" Alessa continued exploring with her sight, curious like a child discovering a part of a home for the first time.

"Very old," he cryptically responded.

Alessa spotted what appeared to be scratches in the walls but realized they were drawings. Hieroglyphs that looked to tell a story.

"Wait," she froze and tugged his hand. "Look…."

Black Hat paused and turned around to see her drawing the deep but faint images with her fingertip. He was not certain of what the drawings were trying to tell them but he identified one familiar outline.

"This is a vampire," he pointed to the scratches that formed the shape of their kin. "And here is another and another."

"It has to be an army." Her excitement grew the longer they stood there. Alessa looked up then down and around but many of the sketches had been destroyed. She peered closer and felt her giddiness shatter.

"Humans did this. Humans didn't want anyone to see what was here. What did they not want us to see? What are they hiding?"

Alessa smacked the destroyed areas with her palms. Destroying the past was destroying a part of them.

"I don't know Lessa," he wished he could give her closure. When he was a Priest he was unaware of this part of Sola Mira. It had not been until he was turned that the Queen had revealed this part of the Hive. She had given him this area to rest when returning to the Hive.

"Of course, they lied to you too."

"Come," he urged her on away from the corridor taking a sharp right. They treaded in silence as Alessa felt a heaviness settle over her. Fucking humans hated their kind so much they would destroy what little bit remained of their heritage! It was probably done by orders of the Church no doubt. Anything to cement their power over the remaining sheep that were corralled into the dirty Cities.

Faith Work and Security!

To them it was Ignorance Fear and Servitude!

"Lessa," Black Hat stopped at the threshold of an unseen chamber. Alessa entered into the smaller space sensing comfort and protecting within the walls. It didn't carry any odor or stench of vampire and carried a subtle pleasant hint about the air.

"This is where you stay?"

"When I was adjusting to my transition I was here. The Queen knew I would be not disturbed by the vampires as I learned to hone my newfound abilities and powers."

"That was generous of her."

"She is a very generous creature. I will never be able to repay what I am indebted to her for. I will always be grateful."

"As will I," Alessa nodded and took another step inside. "She saved me."

"She saved us." He corrected her.

"That too" she saw what looked like the areas the pair would sleep. It was a large slab of stone that jutted out from the right side of the wall. She attempted to keep her mouth from forming the frown that was looming beneath the surface. Alessa knew she should be happy but she didn't want to wake up with a stiff back and neck either. But then again she could use Alexander as a body pillow. At that image the frown reversed into a smile.

"Lessa," Black Hat stood in front of her holding a worn bag in one hand. She caught sight of the pillows and rolled up blanket peeking from the opening in the corner.

"Oh" she felt her ears and cheeks burning in chagrin.

"You weren't expecting to sleep on this were you?" He set to unraveling the bundle while she stood there still feeling embarrassed over her earlier assumption.

"Oh uh no….."

He cast a look at her which only deepened the red in her face and ears.

"Alright I was…"

He chuckled at her misconception and motioned for her to join him. His body was stretched out on one side as she kicked off her boots. The fine layer of dust kicked off the tops and fronts as they tumbled to the ground. His hat was placed on top of the bag, to keep it off the ground of course. The black duster was neatly folded up beneath the hat leaving the button up shirt, pants and bandana that hugged his throat hanging to his powerful frame.

Alessa flattened against him with her back pressing his chest. The long strong arms wrapped around her waist as a leg coiled around hers. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes inhaling the soothing scent of her mate. Black Hat spotted a couple of stray strands and restrained them behind her ear. It pained him to know the horrors inflicted upon her kept her from opening up to him. He loved her so much and yet the wounds of the past refused to heal. What could he do to help her? How can his Lessa be free of these traumas? He knew she wanted to love him but it was that damned Sheriff that had destroyed her heart! Black Hat had pried into her dreams, seeing the moment in her life that mutilated the light into a twisted infected darkness of hatred and hurt.

He wasn't going to give up on her. It would be on her terms but Alessa would heal and then her heart would truly belong to him but first the hybrid would have to take care of the source of her pain: The sheriff known as Hicks.

**Yeah another update! I know this was more fluff but it took me three days to write this! **


	16. Deception

_**A/N: **_I don't own anyone but my OC's….Though I wished I owned the rest…

_Sola Mira Hive…..The Past…._

_ The small contingency of Priests trekked into the forsaken tunnels of the vampire hive. They were lead deeper into the labyrinth, closer towards the inner sanctum of the very thing they hunted. The soft soled boots sunk into the soil and excrement of the tunnel floor as the hem of their robes fluttered across the semi fluid surface. Apprehension and fear passed like a silent contagion as each Priest knew they were outnumbered. But still they followed their leader, a man of close cropped blonde hair and stark ice rings. A man of few words but of great honor and leadership. They respected him for he had led them many times into battle, each becoming a decisive victory for the humans. They trusted him with their lives and souls. _

_ Ahead there was small glow of fire emitting from an adjacent cavern or tunnel. His hand shot up clenching into a tight fist, the sign for halting. _

_ "I don't know….It feels like…..our grave….."_

_ His second in command, a raven haired man, was the first to speak. Deep rings of chocolate scanned the ledges and overhangs for any sign of vampires as strong battle hardened hands clutched an ax diagonal to his chest. If one was to give the impressive chasm an initial glance it would appear abandoned, vacant of any habitation. But they were no ordinary humans; they were Priests. The permanent mark of the Church forever etched onto their faces: Lines of ash and ink ran above their eyes and intersected with a longer brand that outlined the bridge of their noses._

_ The hairs on the back of his neck had prickled accompanied by the growing unease that began to fan out across his body. Something was wrong…..Dead wrong. _

_ "The Queen is here."_

_ Their leader was adamant. The Queen was there, hidden but watching and waiting. She was one of the last to be exterminated for if the Queen was killed the vampires would face certain death. For it was the Queen that provided guidance and protection to the vampires. _

_ The man paused and continued to search, knowing they were there. The others held their weapons tight against them, ready to shed the blood of the ancient enemy._

_ "It's a trap."_

_ The Priestess behind him screamed then vanished as the vampire concealed in the earth dragged the woman to her demise. The others jerked their heads up to see the first front of assault hurling towards them. The hive flooded with waves of vampires, determined to tear apart the Church's minions. Centuries of anger, rage and pain ached to be purged, carried out on the pathetic beings below. They pivoted around with urgency, back the way they entered and towards the sanctity of the sun. The others had charged ahead, finding safety just beyond the hive. The black haired man and blonde haired man were still inside, drawing closer with every hard footfall stamped into the soil. Already the heat of daylight teased their senses, pushing them onward. The blonde reached the others first but the dark haired one felt the tip of his boot catch a protruding femur, forcing him over then onto the ground. The heavy rush of air alerted the other his comrade was down. He stretched outward and flung himself down, clasping the man's wrist firmly within his._

_ "Don't let go," he pleaded. Two of the vampires had caught up with them and dug their claws into the man's legs. He screamed in pain as the razor sharp talons pierced his skin and muscle, anchoring their grip. The blonde could feel his hold begin to slip and caught the panicked expression in his friend's eyes. He could feel it too. The blonde shot out his other hand, curling it around the other's wrist but it was futile. _

_ Helpless and powerless, he watched his longtime friend fall back into the hive with the angered cries echoing off the walls. _

_ "NOOOOOO!"_

_ The last image cast into his mind was of his brother slipping away. _

Alessa shot upward, finding her heart pounding and breaths short. Her shirt clung against her back and chest as the rest of her body was coated in sweat. She felt as though she had been crying in her sleep as the back of her throat and eyes burned with terrible persistence. Her fingers gingerly dabbed at her eyes, revealing the moisture lining the bottoms of each. The damp air of the Hive brushed across her skin, causing Alessa to curl her legs against her chest and hug them tight. She didn't want to awaken Black Hat who was amazingly still asleep. Perhaps she had not been thrashing or screaming this time.

_That's how it happened….._

_ I saw it….._

_ Just as he had seen….._

Shaking the thought off Alessa swung her legs over the side of the rocky ledge, allowing her mind and body to slow. It felt so real as though she had been there as part of that very group. But it had been _HIS _pain and thoughts that channeled though her body. Betrayal…..

Yes betrayal had been strong in his mind, beginning at the moment he was let go. Betrayal had evolved into anger and anger…..

Anger had evolved into vengeance.

_He was left behind….._

_ The bastard had let him go! _

The despairing truth had been unveiled. The one who loved her had been offered as the sacrificial lamb so the others could live. She glanced over her shoulder and watched as he slept noting how vulnerable he was sprawled out with nothing to which defend himself with.

_Vengeance will be ours….._

_ You for the brother who abandoned you….._

_ For the Church that considered you collateral damage….._

Alessa adjusted her body allowing her to reach down and gently run her fingers through his short but soft tresses. It brought a small smile to her lips as she watched the strands of midnight flip between her fingers and coming to rest on top of one another. It was longer now than what it was in her dream but Alessa thought the slightly lengthier strands were better on him anyways. The former would only be a reminder of the past. Her upper lips arched into a snarl upon sight of the Chruch's mark. She wished she could rid his body of the vile unclean symbol but it had faded some over time but it wasn't enough where Alessa was concerned. Her own mark resided on the upper part of her left rear deltoid; a different etching of the Church's liking. Thoughts of carving a blade through the tattoo had crossed her mind but when she attempted the painful task, it had proved difficult to score the surface of her skin without inflicting deeper injury. So the damned thing remained intact. Clothing buried it but for her mate, it wasn't so simple.

_Black Hat didn't think she had caught him but Alessa had spied the contorted features as the pain resurfaced that day. The clawed fingers curling around the edges of the counter as his eyes burned with the eternal hatred burning for the Church. The normally calm plane of his lips had twisted into a feral snarl as his hands cracked the resistive surface. The veins in his hands popped from their resting places while the tendons in his neck had shot out like the roots of a tree breaking the earth. _

_ The emotions slammed her like a mallet, causing her reel and collapse on the bed. Her arm crossed her lower torso as the burning droplets raced down her cheeks. Her chest constricted, stiffing the sobs that choked her throat and mouth. This was worse than any blade ripping into her flesh! The treachery was consuming her the longer she remained on the bed. That was the problem with her abilities, once she absorbed another's emotions, the consequences could be devastating. _

_ Her body and mind had intertwined into a battle for dominance as the invading sensations coursed through her veins. Her hands clawed at the sides of her head as the dull ache throbbed at the front of her skull then cracked into the back of her mind and along the sides towards the base of her neck. Her eyes were tightly shut as tears streamed from the closed lids. Shallow lines of crimson materialized beneath her hair, matting the loose strands of raven and sticky layers of crimson to her flesh. _

_ Her energy waned as the silent war raged on, tapping her life force to fuel it. Alessa hold on, determined not to surrender to her powers. The last time she had been attacked by such force it had taken her weeks to fully reclaim her strength and spent the days confined to her apartment, unable to move so much a finger. Her consciousness had been in and out, awake one moment then hurled back into unconsciousness. Sometimes it was minutes others it was days. _

_ Alessa was losing this latest assault, realizing she was no match for the storm raging in her soul. _

_ She knew what had to be done. _

_ Her legs slid up towards her chest, warming her cooling body as her hands pulled away from her head and wrapped around her shins. Her mate would find her but she wouldn't hear his cries of alarm or the security of his body as it protected her. But he would be there when she awakened. _

Alessa found herself staring at the drawings on the wall. There was something she missed, something that was hidden upon first inspection. But what was it? Why did it elude her?

Her hand pushed against the unmolested outline of the vampire, letting it cover the image with the center of her palm. The moment she smothered the outline with her palm the sharp tightening pain gathered in the front of her head, skewering her vision to the brink of blindness. Her teeth gritted through the tension as Alessa knew she couldn't sever the tie. She leaned in allowing her forehead to rest alongside her hand. The feeling was there but that was it; a simple emotion: Despair.

There was no need to see it…

They were reaching out through her soul.

_They had lost all hope….._

Alessa swallowed back the solid lump in her throat as the doorway between the past and present slowly opened up for her. The pain turned intolerable. Alessa stifled a cry but her gasp for air betrayed her attempt at silence possibly alerting any who were close by. Her hand was plastered to the unyielding surface refusing to break away. With her free hand curled furiously around her other wrist, Alessa wrenched and jerked at the restrained limb, finding her feet losing traction in the soft semi solid soil.

Her struggle against the invisible force waged on with Alessa losing ground at every step. She could feel a gentle trickle down her upper and lower lips and realized it was blood. Her nose had begun to bleed from the exertion of energy. Her breath was fading and heart pounding as Alessa summoned one last assault on herself and fisted her slender wrist even tighter. She closed her eyes and leaned digging her heels into the ground. Her elongated nails tore into olive skin drawing slits of crimson beneath the thick dark nails. She could feel the tendons in her fingers and hand popping from their resting places as the fierce resistance began to wane.

Alessa licked her lips darting around the darkening spots of blood which felt like a shot of vigor to hybrid. Purging the bits of reserve stamina into her weakening hand, Alessa faltered back as the obscured connection collapsed, liberating the hybrid from its able hold. Her back smacked into the opposite wall, loosening a few bits of rock and bone from above. She was panting, fighting for each breath until her heart had achieved calmness. The searing pain finally subsided granting Alessa her vision. Her body was healing but it was painful. Tendon reset and mended, quietly cracking and popping between the joints.

Alessa had seen it.

The vampires had reached out to her, sharing their tormented past of war, loss, and blood.

* * *

Monsignor Chamberlain sat alone.

The Salem Bar was vacant save for the one patron in the back corner. He found being in solitude gave him opportunities to think and wonder. The lighting was poor and stung the eyes upon first arrival. The stools were stiff but worn and comfortable if one sat down just right. Today his thoughts were of the young sheriff from Augustine. What was his name? Hicks! Yes, the young man's name was Hicks. He had been so certain vampires had been the source of Alessa's vanishing. To even entertain the idea vampires were somehow roaming unrestrained would not only compromise the security of the Cities but undermine the authority of the Church. This world, this dirty, crowded dark world, was all they had left. The stability of civilization's remnants rested in the ignorance and assumptions that the demons were eradicated.

But this girl, Alessandra, continued haunting his musings. It couldn't be her. No, she had acquired an infection that had literally cooked every organ in her body. Her remains had been cremated and placed in an urn, placed with the others who had died for the Church. Though the indoctrinated statement repeated incessantly, a speck of uncertainty twinkled within. While he was a member of the Clergy, it didn't mean he necessarily agreed with the Doctrine. The Priests had been dismissed, set aside like the very rubbish that polluted streets and building alike. Obscurity beckoned them suppressing their status from feared warrior to common street rat.

None of them had deserved what they had been "rewarded" with.

Only Orleas had decreed all Priests be disbanded upon the doors of the final reservation slamming shut in the Wastelands. The man resigned to residing in ignorance, refusing to see beyond the walls of Cathedral City. His power and control were unchallenged. Orleas achieved what he started out to accomplish in the beginning.

_Alessandra…_

He finished his drink then made a hasty retreat.

The Church kept files on all Priests and Priestesses; an order from Orleas. What he was seeking would be located in the older part of the sanctum. It was here the Church retained information on the ones deemed special. Alessandra had been one of those children. He recalled the innocent aura that lightened her eyes the first day he had seen her arrive. Fear was prominent but that was to be expected from someone so young. Alessandra was ignorant to what she had been blessed with. When word first arrived of a child who harbored powers that surpassed any Priest to date Chamberlain had been leery. The words of man were notorious for being taken out of context and exaggerated and this instance was no different.

But his presumptions and assumptions had been shredded when he took witness to her training.

_She remained there but the Guardian had been crushed against the wall with a silent command. The others had halted their exercises, astonished at the child with wide rings of cerulean who now looked as though she were in a trance._

Alessandra was only the beginning.

Others had followed but they were few. The Church was reactive in protecting this secret weapon for no one knew outside of the inner circle and Priests. All the citizens were made privy to was these children were of the same abilities as their brethren. Their bodies had been branded with a different mark, masked by clothing away from prying eyes, allowing for the others to identify them. They could shift through the tides of citizens without a second glance. Alessandra had developed empathic capabilities, picking up on those who turned on their fellow man, siding with the vampires. It had been a shame to learn of the Great Deceit. It had been a horrific chapter in human history.

Men and women who betrayed the Church to the vampires, seduced with words spawned by Satan himself. Promises of power beyond their wildest dreams!

The Church had been merciless.

Hundreds had been burned alive, an old punishment that was used in the times of Reformation and Inquisition. The Dark Ages of humanity when the Devil walked the Earth, increasing his army. Alessandra had been used as a lie detector against the accused. Her young eyes fell witness to the executions of the betrayers. Her ears absorbed their dying curses of damnation and declarations of hatred. Her nose forever implanted with the putrid stench of burning flesh and hair.

Alessandra had been a warrior, led into battle many Priests and emerged with a new unseen wound at the conclusion of each.

Chamberlain scoured the files, familiar and intimate with the system the Church had implemented. His long finger ghosted over the spines of books and journals until his sight landed on the tome. He tugged at the spine and cover until it slid out and into his grip. While he held no active part in the creation of the files, Chamberlain had contributed information and had a final say in the information. Alessandra's was no exception.

He pulled out the wooden chair surprised it retained its strength and sturdiness after all of this time. It creaked at the intrusion of his weight but remained intact as he settled in and presented the one inch thick stack of documents and photos in formal fashion. The first leaflets were standard statistics: Date of birth, age their powers were awakened, and if necessary, date of death. Alessandra had lived to the age of 13 before succumbing to a deadly infection. The medical records outlined the appearance of symptoms: fever, rash across her torso, vomiting of blood and bleeding from other orifices in her body. It had been slow and painful for her as she lasted for two agonizing weeks before losing her fight. Orleas had overseen the arrangements to cremate her remains to prevent the spread of contagion through Cathedral City. Chamberlain had been a witness to this ceremony, a part of being the Clergy's duties. Father Markus had given the last rites for the girl and was bestowed the duty of gathering her ashes and placing them in a crypt where all the fallen Priests were remembered for their contributions.

It had been Chamberlain's idea for such a memorial. They deserved that much.

The Priests who survived the Wars had paid homage to their fallen brethren with a few leaving behind a memento or a final prayer for their souls. It was the least the Clergy could offer.

Shaking his mind free, Chamberlain continued flipping through the information. Alessandra was a seasoned veteran of the Wars by age 12. She had been injured in one campaign which left a permanent scar that trailed across her back diagonally. It had been the claw of a vampire that marked her flesh. It had been Isaac who rushed her back towards the outpost. Yes, Isaac, one of their best warriors. He and Alessandra had complimented one another in battle which was why Chamberlain had persuaded Orleas to keep them in the same expeditions. And it had been then that Isaac lost Alexander at Sola Mira. Alessandra had not been there as she was recovering from her injuries.

_Alexander….._

Yes he recalled the black haired Priest. He had fallen into his role easier than some. Alessandra had been more resistive in coming to terms with her gifts. But she had been only a child of 7 when they had found her too. Markus had been one of the men dispatched to fetch the child that day.

Chamberlain's fingers effortlessly turned the pages, revealing nothing that wasn't already known. The medical reports compiled by the attending doctors and staff were cut and dry offering nothing for the nagging voice at the back of his mind. But even he couldn't explain why this unease had been brewing in his mind. The only thing that was certain was it started after that sheriff had made his appearance to the Church.

Unsatisfied with the findings or lack thereof, Chamberlain sighed in discontent and replaced the files in their rightful place.

The crypt was cold and damp.

Chamberlain felt the rush of musty air and bone chilling cold greeted his body. It was maintained in such an environment to preserve the physical and emotional memories. He felt the heaviness the instant his foot went across the threshold. It was a sorrow that no man could burden on his own. It was the sorrow of a thousand fallen souls.

The lighting was poor but sufficient for him to find his way along the narrow corridor which the Priests had dubbed the Walk of Honor. The soft but audible footfalls bounced off the stone and granite as Chamberlain dwelled deeper into the corridor. He took a deep breath and halted three quarters of the way and slowly twisted around. Something made him look up at the image of Alexander. The Priest's dark knowing eyes seemed to follow him as he took a step one way then back the opposite way. Unlike the other infrastructure and amenities of the Cities, the memorial was simple, liberated of any gaudy electronic device. It was simple and solemn.

His head nodded shortly at the image but lingered for a moment to say a word for him. Why this Priest he couldn't say but it was a pull. There was no crypt or alcove for ashes as his body had not been able to be recovered by his brothers and sisters. Chamberlain seemed to feel a short stab at the idea of being unable to provide a stronger sense of closure for the others.

He moved on, going a few feet further from his first stop, coming face to face with the image of Alessandra. Her eyes were piercing though engraved and filled with a beautiful blend of turquoise and sky blue. Chamberlain was temporarily mesmerized as he fell under their spell. There was a saying that the eyes were the windows to the soul and her soul was open for all to see. Perhaps that was why the elder expressed sympathy even now in death. He blinked and snapped his head retreating his stare to the alcove that sat level with his waist.

The urn was bronze and shined in the streak of gold. It was plain in nature with no engravings or other sign to indicate its significance.

His hands reached out cupping the urn with his careful touch. The cap was a screw top but able to be opened without disturbing the contents.

Chamberlain twisted the handle to the left three times and felt the pressure alleviating from his fingers. It came up and stayed suspended in his left hand as his right clutched it against his chest. He peered down towards the opening and felt his heart stop dead in his chest. How could this be!? Some had to have come down to commit this atrocity!

Alessandra's ashes were vacant. The urn held no residue or evidence of anything having been contained within it. Who would commit this deception in such a vile disgusting manner? Chamberlain had to find out. Something was amiss and it started with Alessandra.

**Now who could've done such a thing? I wonder...**


End file.
